Finding the Truth
by Kyeire
Summary: Bonnie's kidnapped! Damon does everything to rescue her, only to find out he's the reason she's been taken hostage. What's in Damon's dark past that has Bonnie in trouble? And will Damon be able to save Bonnie in time? Complete!
1. Chapter 1:Returned

Bonnie flung herself out of bed, a scream perched on her lips. God, the nightmares were getting worse, and it was the same one, but every night it grew more gruesome than the night before. She got up, and rinsed her face with cold water in the bathroom.

When she looked at herself in the mirror, she was reminded of her dream self doing the same thing, but it wasn't her reflection that the dream Bonnie saw. In the mirror, there was a whole different world. It was still her bathroom, but it was bloodied, as if someone had dragged a person's bloody body all over the walls and the shower curtain and floor. And she was in the middle, a wicked smile on her lips colored by something red, and the same color ran down two exposed fangs. Blood.

She shivered in fear. It was only a dream though…right? But if it was a dream, it wouldn't keep repeating itself like it was doing, would it?

Bonnie's throat grew dry. Water. She should get some water. She went downstairs and into the kitchen.

The back door flew open, carried by a gust of wind that shimmied down Bonnie's oversized T-shirt making her shiver. A normal person would've thought it was the wind and just the wind. They wouldn't think it would be a supernatural force.

But Bonnie wasn't normal. In fact, she could feel the power exerted through the open door.

"Wh-who's there?"

The answer she was expecting wasn't spoken aloud. It was in her head.

_Hello, mi cara. _The unfamiliar voice gave a cold chill down her back, worse than the wind blowing through the door.

Bonnie saved herself a headache and answered out loud because even though she could speak with her mind, it exhausted her. "Who are you? Show yourself!" She looked out the door, scared to even get close to it. If it was a vampire, they couldn't enter unless she invited them in. If it was anything else, well, she would scream as loud as she could with her mind. Damon wouldn't come since he was out of town helping Elena find Stefan…thanks to Shinichi and Misao, the fox vixens. but someone would hear…hopefully.

_Don't be alarmed, cara rossa. I'll protect you._

"Who are you? What do you really want?"

A laugh drifted through her mind. _I love how smart you are. _

"Just go away and leave me alone! I have some powerful friends that you don't want to mess with."

_Do you mean Stefan? No. You can't possibly be talking of him. You're probably talking of Damon, but Damon's out of town with the blond. Even if you managed to reach him, he couldn't possibly get here in time to save you_. Bonnie gasped. _But that's if I really wanted to hurt you…_

"What do you want!" By this time, Bonnie was becoming frantic, not only because she knew she didn't have anyone to protect her, but also because the guy talking to her knew Damon and Stefan. She had the feeling that he wasn't friends with them.

_Oh, you'll find out, bella rossa..._

A hand fell on her shoulder. Bonnie nearly screamed.

"Bonnie, are you alright? Why's the door wide open?"

Bonnie sighed in relief. It was only her sister. "Oh, I was just…getting some fresh air…" She knew how lame it sounded, but her sister didn't question her. She just looked at her with narrowed eyes, then turned to close the door. "Well if you need air, next time please open a window. Anyways…it's midnight, did you want a light snack? I can make you one."

"Uh…no, I'm alright." Bonnie didn't think she could stomach even a morsel of food. She didn't even think she could keep water down. "I'll, uh, go to bed now."

She climbed the stairs and let herself into her own room, but she couldn't sleep. She paced her bedroom floor, avoiding the squeaky spots on the floor so as not to disturb her parents who slept just below her feet.

_Don't be alarmed cara rossa, I'll protect you…_

Protect me from what? Himself? He didn't make sense. And what language was he speaking in? Bonnie pulled out her phone and researched _cara rossa_. Dear Red…in Italian...why did that language sound familiar?

A thump sounded outside of her window. The window opened and Meredith hopped in. "I usually come at this hour, but you're usually in the bed and I have to wake you up." She said in her always calm voice.

Bonnie shuddered in relief. "Oh Meredith! I was so scared!"

"Of me? I always come through that window."

"Not of you. I was…was-oh god, Meredith! I really wish we could move from this place. It's just getting worse!"

Meredith didn't show any sign that she was afraid, but when she spoke, it held concern, which in Meredith's case meant she was worried. "What happened."

Bonnie shuddered. "I, well, I don't know who it is, but someone was out there…someone supernatural…or unnatural. When he spoke to me with his mind, I felt his mind, Meredith. It was twisted." Bonnie shuddered at the memory of his voice. "He knows Damon. And Stefan. Not like an old friend by the way that he spat out their names."

At this Meredith's expression hardened. "Another enemy of theirs, huh. And we're out of luck that they're not here to fight their own battle."

"There's something worse, Mer. He wants me."

* * *

"Well…" Meredith and Bonnie were walking to Meredith's house from work. "I guess it's just us to fend for ourselves. Stefan was kidnapped , Elena left to find him but she needed Damon to find him because the kitsune put some pointers in his head, and then Matt left with them because the Fell's Church's police were after him."

Bonnie sighed. "Yeah. Seems that way."

"And we have no idea who this mysterious creep is."

"We know he's Italian. He called me _cara rossa_ which means 'Dear Red' in Italian. We also know that he wants me. But yeah, that's it. We don't really know anything about him."

It was quiet for a minute, then Meredith said, "The question isn't if we know the guy. It's what does he want with you. "

"Well, I don't think he wanted me just for me…and not because he was…hungry. At least it didn't feel that way."

Meredith was silent in thought, then, "I think it's because of your psychic abilities."

"What about them? How can he use me for his benefit?"

"I don't know. I have to do some research."

Bonnie's phone rang. Mary.

"Hello?… Okay. I will." Bonnie hung up and looked at Meredith. "My sister wants me to come home and watch my mom while she's at work. She's gotten sick. Mary says she just has the symptoms of a common cold, but it's taken a toll on mom's health. I'll catch up with you later. Okay?"

"Okay. Watch yourself…Oh, here." She handed her a piece of sharpened wood. "just in case the creep's a vampire."

"Thanks."

"And one more thing. I'm going to go visit my grandpa today. Probably within the next hour."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

They parted and Bonnie made her way to her house. Now that she actually had some time to actually think, her mind wandered back to her repeating nightmare. It was easier to actually think of the dream, now that she had a problem bigger than it. It wasn't by chance that Bonnie kept on having the dream. Her Grandmother taught her that. She just needed to find out what it meant.

The dream showed her as a vampire. Did that mean that in the near future she was going to turn into a vamp? Or was it a warning that she wasn't meant to be a vampire? She shook her head. It didn't make sense…

Bonnie remembered saying the same thing about the guy last night. Wait, maybe he had something to with the dream…but what? Bonnie shut her mind off. She was just confusing herself.

The wind picked up and ruffled her curls. She sighed. She wished Elena was here. It felt so…wrong without her here in Fell's Church. Even when she wasn't _here_ here, and she was just a spirit, Bonnie felt she was still close enough to talk to Elena. And she was right. She could talk to the spirit Elena.

But now, with them wandering around the world looking for Stefan, Bonnie couldn't seem to get through on the phone Damon bought for just that. A connection to the ones who stayed in Fell's Church. But no one had called for two weeks now, she hadn't heard a peep from any of them.

Suddenly, Bonnie had a feeling as if someone was watching at her. She looked around, on the ground, on the sidewalk…ah, there in the trees. A single, big black crow.

_Damon? _Bonnie spoke in her mind. She didn't really have to project it with Damon. If he was here, he'd be listening to both her voice and her mind, though she'd contacted him more times with her mind that actually out loud.

_Yes? _It was his silky voice that persuaded her that it was actually him.

_What are you doing here? And where is Elena and Stefan? Aren't you supposed to be with them?_

Damon flew out of the tree, all his rainbow-black feathers glistening. He headed toward her, and, at the last minute, changed to his human form. A scowl adorned his face. "They don't need me anymore. They've got each other."

Bonnie gasped at his closeness, but stood her ground. "But where are they. Are they here?"

Damon looked away, and when he looked back. He had that devil-may-care smirk on his face Bonnie had always wanted to slap when she saw it. 'No, they aren't here, they're…somewhere else."

"Where's somewhere else Damon? I want to know where she is. If you…."Bonnie looked Damon straight in the eye. "You didn't do something to them, did you?"

Damon didn't answer.

"Damon!"

"I wish I did." He had a bitter look on his face that made him look as though he swallowed some vile-tasting potion.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked. Damon just looked at a far away spot over her shoulder.

For a split second, Bonnie felt as though she could see _into_ Damon's mind. Then she really got angry. She started walking again, throwing up her hands as if she were giving up. "So you're like this because you expected Elena to just say out of the blue, 'oh, Damon, I love you! You're so cute and handsome and-"

Damon snarled and said something vulgar, and followed her.

Bonnie lifted an eyebrow and looked at him sideways. "I'm wondering if you really ever thought Elena would ever do that. Will you ever get it through you thick skull? Elena loves Stefan, and _only _Stefan."

"That's not what I thought, _ignorante rossa psichica_." Damon seemed irritated, but not enough to leave her.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, but not at what she knew was an insult. "That wouldn't be Italian by any chance, would it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Well, I met…talked to someone who spoke Italian. Matter of fact, it was last night. The problem is, I don't know who he was, but he knew me…and you and your brother."

Damon's eyes tightened. "He did? What did he look like?"

"I, uh, don't know." Bonnie said, remembering the encounter last night. "But I had the feeling that he wasn't in town for a friendly visit. I never really saw him. He was outside somewhere, and he was talking to me with his mind."

Damon was silent, but his usually all-the-way-relaxed posture straightened a little. He was looking around as though he expected someone to pop out of a nearby bush. "Do you think you could project the voice to me?"

"I'll try." Bonnie stopped walking and closed her eyes. Thinking about the creepy voice, she pushed it towards where she knew Damon stood.

When she opened her eyes, it was to Damon's eyes intense, his upper lip lifted in a snarl.

_Get home. Lock the doors. Don't let anyone in. Don't let any of your family let anyone in._

With that, he changed to his crow form and flew away.


	2. Chapter 2:Checked On

**For all those who I might've confused, there is a part where Damon speaks in Italian, it means what he says next. sorry.**

2

"Oh God, Bonnie, what took you so long! I called you almost an hour ago!" Mary fumed. "I have to be _at _work in five minutes!"

"Well at least I'm here now." Bonnie said absently. Her mind wasn't here, but on Damon, and the crew that went out of town. If Damon was back, that either meant Damon abandoned them, or that they found Stefan. Bonnie was thinking it was the latter based on Damon's reaction to his brother's name and Elena's placed in the same sentence. What Bonnie couldn't understand was why Elena and Stefan and Matt weren't back by now.

She looked up to find her sister looking at her, her face furious.

"Sorry Mary, what did you say?"

Mary's face went red. "I just asked _you _what _you_ said! 'Well at least I'm here now?' Bon, I have to be at work!"

"Did I really say that, Mary?" Bonnie looked at her sister with embarrassment. "I just…have so much to think about. I really am sorry, I hadn't even noticed I spoke."

As usual, Mary's anger left just as fast as it had came. "Well, I was worried about you. I had expected you home fifteen minutes after I called you. Are you alright? I mean lately you've been acting weird."

"It's just that I miss…" Bonnie had to catch herself. Elena died months ago. She couldn't say her name, although that's who she was thinking of. She had supposedly gotten over her death and moved on, so she told her family. "Matt." She blurted the first name she could think of instead. She regretted doing that, and she wondered why his name would pop out her mouth so fast.

Mary's concern changed to a small smile. "So, that's what this is all about?" she sighed. "I remember when I would act weird like that over guys…until I realized they weren't as cool as I thought they were." Mary became serious. "Just be careful, it's been going around that he's the one manipulating the town's girls."

"He is not!" Bonnie yelled before she could stop herself. "It's not Matt's fault! He's just been wrongly accused because the police need to find the person who's doing it so that the people of Fell's Church feel safe. I wish they would lay off him."

"I was just taking into consideration your well-being. It's not that I believe that the boy could make those girls do what they did to themselves." Mary looked at her watch. "Damn it! Look Bonnie, I gotta go. Mom's in her room sleeping right now. Don't let her get up, and definitely no company."

"Okay. See ya." She waved Mary out the door, then took a peek into her mother's room before entering her own and closing the door.

Bonnie had so many questions that her head was starting to hurt. Where was Stefan, Elena, and Matt? Why did Damon leave Elena, when clearly he was infatuated enough to be around her all the time. Why didn't Damon tell her where Stefan and Elena were when she asked. And was Matt with them?

Bonnie held her head. Ahhh…She missed the old days when all she had to worry about was trying to get the most popular Elena to notice her and accept her. Now she had to worry about keeping Elena a secret at the same time worry whether she was okay or not. Not to mention the brothers and Matt.

Her cell rang, and Bonnie automatically pressed the talk button. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bonnie, have you talked to Damon?"

_Elena!_ Bonnie thought, her mind going into exuberance. She toned it down enough to say,"Yes, I just saw him a little while ago. He found me, but he didn't tell me where you guys went, you and Stefan."

Elena sounded relieved when she answered. "He's safe! He disappeared when we found Stefan. Stefan told me to not worry, but I couldn't. I just had to know if he was alright, especially considering the place we found Stefan in. It was worse than I had expected."

"Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are. Stefan is showing me his childhood town. We're in Florence. I have no idea why that would upset Damon enough to not tell you where we were though." She sounded genuinely confused. Bonnie had to stop herself from shaking her head. Since when had she become more mature than Elena? When did Elena become more oblivious to the obvious? Damon was jealous. That's what Bonnie had glimpsed in Damon.

But she didn't tell Elena, instead she said, "So you're alright?"

"Yes we are." She sounded like she was smiling one of her dazzling smiles.

"Good, now I can yell at you. How could you leave me and Meredith? How could you not call us? I mean Damon called us once just to tell us that you have a new phone and to call at that number. Then I can't reach you guys at all and I don't hear anything from you for almost two weeks!"

"I'm so sorry Bonnie! We were so busy, and half the time we had no signal, and we basically lost track of time over the days. But I'm sorry I forgot to call you sooner."

"But we were _worried_! And what about Matt? Is he alright?"

"Yes he is, and so is Stefan. They're right here, hear them?" faint low-pitched hi's came from the background.

"Yes I do. Look, I got something to-"

"Hey Bonnie, I really have to go. I promise to call you tomorrow."

Before she could say another word, the dial tone sounded.

Bonnie almost swore. She almost never got mad, but she was in a fine temper now, and she felt justified for the right to be mad. Her best friends were all out of town, too far for Bonnie to be comfortable with. She had a mysterious, creepy guy contacting her in the dead of the night, and she couldn't sleep because of the same nightmare that never went away.

She plopped down on her bed. She was frustrated, and she hated when she was frustrated because it brought tears. Before she could cover her face with her hands they were already falling.

She was crying because she had no idea how her life could change in such a short time. She'd been through so many battles, and yet, she felt like the most scared kid on earth from a dream. A dream! How did she ever expect to live her life if she was always going to feel like…like…

She didn't even know what word fit better there. Childish? Dependent? Fearful?

_Cara…_ His silky familiar voice entered her mind. _Cara. Open the window. Let me in._ Bonnie shook her head, though she didn't lift her head. Though he probably already knew she was crying, she was embarrassed. She didn't want him knowing she was crying. Which made her cry even harder.

_Cara, please…_Bonnie found herself speaking two words. "Come in." she sobbed it out, but he heard it perfectly. Damon opened the window and let himself in.

All this Bonnie heard, but didn't see. She heard his feet coming closer to her, but she never expected him to pick her up into his arms. She was so startled that she raised her tear-ravaged face to him. He looked grim, not a usual face for Damon, so she knew he was serious. "Are you alright?"

Bonnie hid her face in his leather jacket. It smelled of him. Kind of like some forbidden cologne mixed with the smell of soap. It was solely his, and it reminded Bonnie of his face and of all the times he always seemed to be distant, but he always was the one who was there to save her when she needed him.

Even that made her cry. So much changed when he and his brother came, and now Bonnie didn't know where she belonged. She would always be different now, with her psychic abilities activated and her past experience with the supernatural and unnatural.

Damon sat on the side of the bed.

He let her cry all over his new jacket. His jacket didn't matter. He'd probably get another one the next time he fed. But right now, Bonnie was crying and he was concerned with why her small, delicate frame shook with sobs. She was his bird, and he felt the need to protect her like he did whenever she called him.

He just wish he could protect her from the pain she was feeling, and the frustration he could sense coming from her.

He tried to find something to say, anything to soothe her. "It's okay, I will be here if you need me." She cried harder. He didn't know why that would make her, but he shut his mouth and settled for just patting her back.

He wasn't good at speaking comfort, so he just rocked her a little in his arms, and let her cry.

* * *

"Distract me." Bonnie's small voice was muffled by his jacket, but he heard perfectly what she said.

He searched his mind for anything he could say to get her mind off of what was making her sad. "Elena and Stefan are safe."

Bonnie struggled against his arms trying to get off his lap, her wet face stared back at him, angry. "I already know that." She said. That wasn't what he expected.

Now she was backing away from him as though he disgusted her all the while pointing an accusing finger at him. "I can't believe you actually made me worry about them! All because you were jealous! I can't believe-"

"You don't know me!" He said, finding he liked this Bonnie instead of the weeping, vulnerable one before. This Bonnie he understood. He let himself get as angry as her, following her across the room.

"I know you well enough to know you're still going after something you'll never have. I know you're spoiled enough to believe that you will get it, when everyone else knows you will not. Well here's a wake up call!" She stopped, and stood as tall as her short body would let her. " You can't have it all!"

Damon realized his anger had left just as fast as it had came, and was replaced by...oh God, he hadn't felt like this in centuries! On the outside he was angry, his face hard, his feet still unmercifully following hers. But on the inside...a fire was burning hot and bright. She was stubbornly beautiful, with her chin outthrust, her eyes meeting his defiantly undeneath the wealth of her fiery red curls, and her small hands fisted at her sides.

"_Voglio solo un paio di cose in questo abbandonato Dio mondo._"He closed the space, making sure there was none left between them, brushing his body to hers,standing tall so that Bonnie had to look up if she wanted to meet his eyes. "I only want a few things in this Godforsaken world." He said composed, although what he was doing was wreaking havoc on his body.

Bonnie backed immediately. She was shocked at his actions, but she was shocked of her response to him more than anything. The first thought that popped into her mind was 'The Kiss'. The one she surprised herself giving Damon after he rescued her and Meredith from Caroline. Since then, she'd kept away from him, especially since she didn't need him to rescue her from anything she couldn't handle. But now was different. They were in her room. Alone. And Damon was still following her.

Just as she thought about it, she reached the wall. She watched him come closer, unable to move. Her breathing became short, and she could feel her cheeks growing warm. Damon reached her, and put his hands on the wall behind her head. One on each side. Caging her in. He leaned in...

_Cara..._

She shuddered and let her head rest on the wall. He covered her body inch by inch with his.

_Cara!_

He lowered his head slowly, until they were sharing the same breath. She let her eyes drift close, his nearness making her lightheaded.

_Bella rossa, I do not think that is a good idea..._

The voice in her head sounded like...

Bonnie's eyes opened immediately and she pushed Damon away. "Oh God! Damon!"

Damon's back grew ramrod straight. "You're right. I should go." He turned towards the window, his movements stiff.

"No! don't go out there!" She put hereself between the window and him. "_He's _out there! He spoke to me when we were about to..." Bonnie felt as though her cheeks couldn't get any hotter.

Damon looked from a spot over her head to her to the window. His face shifted. Before, it was a mask of untouchable hardness, but now it held determination. "Then I should greet him."

"No! His mind's twisted. I can feel it when he talks to me. You shouldn't. You could get hurt!" She knew she sounded childish, but whether she wanted to admit it or not, she cared about him. She didn't want him hurt. Or worse. Dead.

Damon smiled at her. One that showed he did care about something besides him and what he wanted. His hand captured one of her soft, red curls. "No, Cara, I won't. I promise you that. And if I do...well then, will you be my caretaker?" He didn't give her a chance to answer, but he opened the window and changed into his large, sinfully dark crow in mid jump.

_Damon! _She yelled it with her mind as she stared out the window he just jumped out of, afraid to go closer in fear that _he_ would try and reach her.

_Close and lock the window. Don't open it even if it's me._

With that, he blended in with the dark and disappeared fro her sight.

**Now I'm gonna have to ask you to push the button right below this and REVIEW! I have a question. Would you guys want me to carry on with Bonnie, or should I go into Damon's point of view? I have something for both, but I'm not sure which to post. It's up to the readers.**


	3. Chapter 3:Frustration and Worry

**No one really told me whether they would want me to switch to Damon's POV, or Bonnie's so I ended up doing both…**

**Enjoy!**

Damon flew over the forest once again, using every bit of every one of his senses to search it.

When Bonnie had projected that voice into his head, it was eerily unfamiliar, yet familiar at the same time. One thing was for sure, it put his hair on end. He had to leave her right away, even though that's not what he wanted to do. If he had stayed, he would've done something crazy, like lock Bonnie up in a tower far away.

He left her and checked around her house at least five times before moving on to the forest near her house.

Pretty much the same thing he was doing right now. With the same results.

Nothing.

He cawed in frustration and dived towards the earth. The moment he touched the ground, his talons turned to paws, his large, black feathers turned to a mass of midnight fur, and his beak into a large, razor-sharp teeth-filled furry muzzle.

As soon as his transformation was complete, he took off, running. He didn't know where, but he needed this. He felt threatened, he felt frustrated, and most of all fear for Bonnie's life. All of it churned inside his stomach. It was the knot forming in his throat. It was what was making him feel edgy, restless.

So he ran.

Bonnie worried. Ever since Damon had taken off hours ago, she couldn't sleep. Not that she wanted to, with the horrible repetitive nightmare waiting for her. Thank God she didn't have work tomorrow, because she would be a wreck.

Shortly after Damon had disappeared, she went down and was surprised to find her mother sleeping more deeply than she had been in a long time. Especially since she and Damon were yelling.

She returned to her own room, sitting, but soon found herself up and pacing. Was he alright? Where was he? Did something happen to him. Somewhere around three in the morning, a large bump sounded at her window. When she looked, her eyes widened in horror, dread washed the color completely from her face. She felt like throwing up.

For right outside her window…

**Okay, I feel like being evil. Review or you will never know what happens next!**


	4. Chapter 4:Premonition

**So...for all my readers...I shall say THANK YOU for your awesome rewiews! and Don't stop now! Keep reviewing! **

**I got to this a day earlier, since I just **_**had **_**to write this. It was just burning in my head, waiting to just for me to write it. So...Okay, Here's Chapter Four!**

After a few hours of aimless running, he found himself more restless than before. And he found his mind consumed of Bonnie's safety. So he turned back, changing back into his flight form, flying high and fast back to Bonnie.

Never in his life did he remember feeling this...protective. Even of Katherine. With her, she was like a possession. And even then, that didn't make him feel like he had to make sure nothing touched her...well, maybe he did, but it wasn't this strong.

When they had finally found Stefan, half starved and delirious in the dungeon of a kitsune community marketplace, Elena's face brightened like the sun, all her worries and all her distress seemed to dissolve in a matter of milliseconds. She hadn't even turned to thank him for finding the last clue for her. She rushed to Stefan's side, and never left it. They had gotten out unseen by Shinichi's key. The one he kept just in case they had needed it...which they had, for they couldn't get out the way they came.

They had gotten out, and Stefan had feasted to his capacity. After that, that's when they made plans to go to Florence, and in that moment, he knew.

She would never be his, no matter how much he pursued her. She would always stay with Stefan. In a sour, bitter way, he found himself respecting that. She found love...and he was barely understanding the true meaning of love.

That was one thing that Bonnie had seen. He _was _jealous, not that he was going to admit to her. But he was persuaded she already knew without a doubt. When she had looked at him, asking that question, he had the feeling as though she had seen _into _him. Usually, he only had that link when he drank a certain amount from someone, but Bonnie was different. She had certain psychic abilities he'd never seen in all his centuries.

Unexpectedly, he had a strong sense of premonition. His instincts flooded him, wanting him to get to Bonnie's as fast as he could.

What happened, he didn't know. What he did know was that Bonnie was in trouble, and he wasn't right there to protect her.

That thought alone had him racing, going faster than he thought he could ever go.

By the time he did see her house, his stomach had tied itself into a thousand knots, each one trying to come up and lodge itself in his throat.

_Bonnie!_ He called with his mind as loud as he could throw out of his mind.

No immediate response, which frightened him. He couldn't even feel her mind. Finally, he was close enough to see her window.

What he saw had his heart dropping to his feet. His body grew ice cold in horror. The sight burned into his mind by his observing eyes stole all the breath from his body.

For right inside her window...

_Somewhere around three in the morning, a large bump sounded at her window. When she looked, her eyes widened in horror, dread washed the color completely from her face. She felt like throwing up. _

_For right outside her window…_

Was Damon. He was barely holding on, but he was a horrendous sight. His right arm was shredded, blood falling like streams from the gaping wounds. She couldn't even see most of his face through the blood that ran down from a gash on his forehead. His bottom lip was busted, and his neck was shredded.

Once again, she felt like running for the bathroom to puke, but she went to him. He needed her. He was hurt, and she was afraid that he would fall. Although she had a sturdy tree there, and a little ledge to hang on to, it was easy to fall if you couldn't use both of your hands.

Ignoring the premonition, she opened the window, helping him in. She got him all the way in, with him breathing hard from the pain. Each harsh breath he breathed caused her heart to contract in pain. She couldn't drag him in any further so she made him comfortable by putting pillows behind him and making sure he was in a comfortable position.

Then she ran to the bathroom, not to throw up, but to find the first aid kit, towels and washcloths, thanking her mother buying this old house that used to be an inn, meaning each room had their own bathroom.

When she turned, she was stopped by a masculine chest. She nearly screamed.

A stranger stood in front of her in all black, wearing a black leather jacket a lot like Damon's. His dark hair was gelled back. His eyes were an evil murky bronze, matching his evil smile perfectly-one that displayed two pearly-white elongeted incisors.

"Who are you?" Bonnie asked from behind the pile she held in her arms. Her psychic needle going on overload, picking up his wickedness.

_Oh come, Bella Rossa, don't tell me you've forgotten me already? _

Bonnie gasped.

"Foolish _Psichica. _You should've listened to Damon, but you've made me one happy _turnaforma vampiro_(1), and made my life easier." With that, he passed a hand in front of her.

Then Bonnie was swallowed by darkness.

**(1):**_**turnaforma vampiro:**_** I don't know if it makes perfect sense (since I'm not an Italian speaker) but it means something...if you look it up, or you guess what it is, well then, I just spilled a spoiler...**

**REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5:Defeat

**Okay...before you read chapter five...I need a favor...there is a poll on my profile which has to do with the next Chapter-chapter six...DO IT! I have so many ideas, but I don't know which one to use...I'm going to wait at least two days, and if you want to hear a good chapter, I suggest you do it...unless you want me to be evil, which you know I can! REVIEW and Poll it up!**

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**_DAMON_**

_What he saw had his heart dropping to his feet. His body grew ice cold in horror. The sight burned into his mind by his observing eyes stole all the breath from his body._

_For right inside her window..._

was one color he saw regularly, but this time, it raised every hackle on his neck. Brought forth his gag reflex, and it took sheer self-control to keep the bile from rising to his muth.

It was blood. Every where. Oh God, it was everywhere! From the window to the windowsill, and even, Oh Diety of the Earth! It was splattered in globs on the wall opposite. When he made it through the window, he phased into his human form, and fell to his knees. The smell of copper blood filled his nose, but for once since becoming a vampire, the blood repulsed him. He looked frantically around, looking for one thing and one thing only.

She was by her bed, her whole body the color of a deep red, her neck was ripped apart, her clothes slashed to pieces. Oh supernatural forces of the universe! She was limp as a rag doll. The sight was enough to make his heart stop beating, make his breathing cease, make agony writhe within his gut. _Forgiving mercies, please PLEASE let her be alive! _He thought furiously as he pushed himself to his feet with much effort.

He forced each foot in front of the other, his vision narrowed to one focal point-Bonnie. She didn't move, and he couldn't call out with either his voice or his mind. He didn't have that much power. It was as though the sight itself was depriving him of his power, and what he did have left, he was channeling into keeping his feet moving towards Bonnie.

But, just as suddenly as he got the premonition, he saw the gore disappearing. The blood was fading, and Bonnie...Bonnie was diappearing! "Bonnie!" He reached towards her, but she was still fading right in front of his eyes.

He closed them, opened them. She was still dimming, He could see through her. "Bonnie! BONNIE!" She was transparent now, but she kept the same position he first found her in. "BOOOONNNNIIIIEEEEE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He pushed the yell through his mind to where she was getting fainter and fainter. There was nothing there.

He fell to his knees when what was left of what he could see of her vanished; hung his head in defeat.

_Gone. Failed. Self-blame._ He ranted at himself mentally.

Then, a laugh echoed throughout the room. A laugh that sent fingers of fear down his spine. He looked around Bonnie's empty room, looking for the source, but there was none to be found. That's when he realized it wasn't echoing around the room, but the laugh had sounded in his head.

_Something wrong Damon? _The owner of the laugh spoke. His voice sounded vile and evil, and to Damon, felt as sneaky and as sly as a snake.

"What have you done with her!" He yelled. _Where is she!__? _He added with his mind.

_Calm down, my friend. Le Bella Rossa is safe...for now._ His statement was followed by another vile chuckle that soon drifted away. _Let's see if you can find her before she's otherwise. _

With that, the feeling of being watched disappeared. His hands clenched into fists. He stood, anger and fury straining his neck. He'd kill him. Whoever he was. He would kill him. He would enjoy ripping every single joint out of it's socket, then slowly bleeding him to draw out his death, letting him _feel_ the pain, the agony. And before he'd die, he'd break every bone in his body.

Then one thought deflated him in a second. He had no way of knowing who or where this guy was. And since he had Bonnie, that meant he didn't know where Bonnie was. That left him hopeless, helpless...

For the third time that night, he fell to his knees in defeat.

Then he heard from behind him a noise, and turned to find...

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**Well well well....time for another review! And please take the poll! I need to know what is better to come next (you could say I'm at a writer's block, but not reall since I have multiple ideas, and I don't know which to use. Help Me!**


	6. Chapter 6:My Fault

**Okay, so I think you guys already know what this is....but before you can read the awesomeness, there's a THANK YOU to EVERYONE who took the poll(thirteen). You guys saved the story! So This is Chapter Six! Excited yet? Okay! Stop yelling at me! I'm getting to the story! **

**Here it is! Enjoy!**

_Then he heard from behind him a noise, and turned to find..._

Meredith climbing through the window, He would've opened his mouth to say something, but he suddenly became dizzy. His vision blurred, but not enough to keep him from seeing Meridith's face redden from anger when she noticed he was in Bonnie's room alone, Bonnie nowhere to be seen.

"What." She hissed. "have you done with her!" What she said was blurred, and became a noise drowned out by a ringing in his ears. He watched helplessly as the image of Meridith was swallowed by black.

"I..." His voice sounded overloud in his own ears. Then he fell into darkness altogether.

xP xP xP

_"Damon," Bonnie's voice drifted through his ears like like a brush of sunlight. But he couldn't see anthing except blackness all around him._

_"Damon." She called again. The darkness was suffocating, all he saw was black, he turned this way and that, and yet, there it was, to cover his face once again._

_"Where are you!" He yelled. "I can't see you!"_

_A giggle sounded near him, but when he reached out...more darkness. "Damon, open your eyes." She said._

What?_ He thought, _I'm looking, but all I can see is nothing_. _

_"But my eyes are open." He heard another giggle._

_"No, silly...open your _eyes _eyes!" THen he felt a kiss on both his eyelids._

_They lifted to discover that he was sitting in a...a..._

_Where was this place..._What _was this place? Now his vision wasn't shrouded in darkness, but by every color imaginable. Blues, purples, yellows, teals, greys, reds...you name it, the color was there. "I knew you could do it."_

_He turned to see Bonnie smiling at him. In front of her was a table, and on the table was a teapot, two teacups, and a plate of sandwiches. "Bonnie?"_

_"Yes, it's me." She poured him some tea. "But then, anything can change. Just remember that." She kept smiling. _

_She looked brilliant, with the colors behind her swirling, creating a lovely background, and the vibrant colors just made her fiery hair more eccentric. Not to mention how it made him realize how unique her beautiful skin color was. But he couldn't tell her that outloud. It just...didn't seem right. so instead, he said, "What is this place?"_

_"This is a place. A place within a place. But that doesn't matter. What matters is how you get in. Find your truest self. The one which you always hide, but is the real you. Only then can you enter." _

_That smile was maddening. Why was she smiling so much. She was kidnapped! "Where are you, Bonnie? Let me come rescue you, but you have to tell me where you are!" He strained on the last sentence._

_For once since he entered this place, Bonnie's smile faltered. "I can't...but I've already..." Her hand that had lifted her teacup to her mouth had dropped the cup. "Oh no. I-I have to..got! I have to-"_

_"NO!" Damon jumped over the table to take her in his arms, holding on to her as if he would never let go. _

_"I have to!" Bonnie cried, her eyes overbright. "Can't stay...I have to-"_

_Damon's lips closed over hers. When he broke off, he said, "I can't let you go. I can't." He kept chanting it over and over. _

_Suddenly, Bonnie was being pulled out of his arms by an invisible force. "Damon! Don't forget! Remember our coversation! I love you! Damon!"_

_By now, she was yards away. "Bonnie!" He yelled, suddenly finding the strength in his legs, he ran, trying to catch up with her, but he couldn't. She seemed to be going fast. And within thrity seconds, she disappeared._

_"BONNIE!" _

_:O :O :O_

He sat up with a roar. "Bonnie! NO! Come back!"

"Whoa there, vampy, don't hurt yourself." Meredith stood next to the couch he was laid out on. Damon looked around, and found the bold colors of Meredith's Living room stare back at him. Crimson red couches decorated the cream-colored rugs, while forest green and the same cream and crimson showed in pictures of forest scenes and the like on the warm yellow walls.

His panic gradually simpered down. He ran a hand over his face, and sighed, releasing the terror of his dream.

"Damon?" Meredith looked at him observingly, any signs that she lost her temper earlier erased. "Where is Bonnie?"

This time Damon put both hands over his face. "Oh God, I don't know, Meredith, I don't know."

"What happened?"

"Did she tell you about that creep who talked to her two nights ago?" He said, more devoid of feeling than he ever has been before. Yet at the same time, his feelings overwhelmed him. Despair, Fear, Terror.

"Yes, the one that is most likely one of either you or your brother's enemy. Might be both."

"I don't have an idea who he is, and my brother barely even socializes, why do you suspect he even has an enemy?"

"So you have no clue as to why this 'creep' knows both of you?"

Damon turned fully to Meredith with an expression as close to surprise as horror. "Damn! I forgot she said that! Then this was somehow _my _fault that she got kidnapped. Mine. I got her into this mess..." He thought back to when he was standing in Bonnie's room. The creep even said his name! How could soething like that escape his mind?

But who could this guy be? Damon had to admit, he made a lot of people angry in his life. If only he could match the voice with any of those people. He thought back well and clear...nothing.

_AUGH!_ He should've known all this would come back to bite him in the butt!

He got up and started pacing. According to The Creep, Bonnie was still alive...but for how long was the question. Bonnie also pleaded him to remember their conversation.

Well, their conversatin had been ok. There were a few things that she said that did stick out, though. There was the mention of a place within a place...then there was something about change...what was it...ah, yes...

_But then, anything can change. Just remember that..._

What she meant by both of those things, Damon had no idea, but he would find out. And when he found out, he would go and rescue her.

And beat the living hell out of whoever took her.

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**Okay, I know the cliffy is kinda cut off, but I need to think of a few things. Please review. You guys have been awesome about that, please cotinue. makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! And it makes me super hyper. :) **

**Until next. Your fav author by her penname, Kyeire!**


	7. Chapter 7:I Love You

**Before I say anything else, I just have to say how I'm so honored that you guys love my first fanfic story. I mean, I have 42 reviews for six chapters! I really think you guys are AWESOME! I cannot say that enough. *tear in eye* Thank You *bows to all of you***

**I guess I owe everyone an apology for not updating so soon, right? Well, there's good news...its summer vacation! Yay for me! (And you) It means consistent updating....and one more piece of good news...I am officially OUT of high school! I graduated yesterday at 7:00pm mountain standard time...just so you guys know why I haven't been updating lately... (Go ahead and congratulate me while reviewing)**

**Okay Guys. This side of the story is going to be Bonnie. ;) **

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Okay, to chapter seven we go!**

_Bonnie sat at a table. On the table, there was a teapot and a teacup. She was...drinking tea? This sounds too much like the dream she had with Elena...but her drink and food didn't turn to mud and worms. Damon was lying on the other side with his eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping. She called out to him. His previously peaceful face became suddenly worried, and something clenched in her heart. "Damon." She called again._

_He had a frightened/lost look on his face. "Where are you?" He yelled. "I can't see you!"_

_In spite of herself, Bonnie giggled. He just had to..."Damon, open your eyes."_

_His eyebrows pulled down, a confused look crossing his face. He looked adorable._

_"But my eyes are open..." He said._

_What she said and did next, caught Bonnie herself off guard. "No silly...Open your _eyes _eyes."Then she leaned over, and kissed each eyelid. They fluttered opened a second later, exposing his beautiful, sinfully-dark eyes. And even though she was looking out her own eyes, she felt as though she wasn't in control of her own body anymore. Ever since the dream Elena shared with her, she never wanted to drink tea again, but she found herself bringing a cup to her lips._

_She smiled and said, "I knew you could do it." Damon turned and looked at her as though he couldn't believe his eyes, although she was the one calling his name out. _

_"Bonnie?" he asked._

_She just smiled and said, "Yes, it's me." She poured him some tea, although she noticed he didn't even look down at the cup. "But then, anything can change. Just remember that." She kept smiling, but inside, she was wondering where this stuff was coming from. Why did she kiss his eyelids, why did she just say something about change?_

_Damon was looking at her as though she...she was surprised she didn't even blush. What was wrong with her? She wasn't even reacting to that "look"...it was the same look he had when he was about to kiss her back in her room._

_"What is this place?" he asked instead of what he was thinking. _

_Without her consent, her mouth spoke. "This is a place. A place within a place." She had no idea what she was saying. What it meant. And she hadn't even realized the place until right now. It was pure white. There was no color. "But that doesn't matter," her mouth was saying. "What matters is how you get in. Find your truest self. The one which you always hide, but is the real you. Only then can you enter." Whatever she just said, she hoped it would help him. She hoped it was not just babbling._

_She clenched the hand where it rested underneath the table. She hoped he would...wait. She had control of her own body now!_

_"Where are you, Bonnie?" He suddenly said, pulling her out of her discovery. He said it with such determination, with passion. "Let me come rescue you, but you have to tell me where you are!" He emphasized and strained on that last sentence. It made her smile fall a little. _

Was he really that worried about me? _She thought. "I can't..."She found herself saying. She didn't know exactly where she was. "But I've already..." Suddenly, she felt watched, like someone had just seen her and they didn't want her there. Her cup fell unheeded from her hand. They were going to take her away from Damon. "Oh no. I-I have to go! I have to-"_

_"NO!" Suddenly, Damon leaped over the table, and grasped her in a tight embrace like a desperate man, trying hard to hold on and keep hold what he knew was going to be taken from him._

_"I have to." Bonnie said, her heart hurting, and her eyes filling. "I can't stay...I have to-"_

_Damon crushed his lips down on hers. He put his desperation in the kiss, his worry and fear. And it altered something in her. But all she knew was that he kissed her. And she would be gone very soon. She inhaled his scent as he said, "I can't let you go._ _I can't." He said it over and over, as if saying it over and over would keep her there in his arms._

_But Bonnie could already feel it. She was being pulled like a puppet away from him. "Damon! Don't forget!" She said, her ears falling now, "Remember our conversation!" And the last thing she said, she said from her heart. _

_"I love you! Damon!" Then she watched as he tried chasing after her, yelling her name at the top of his lungs. But she was being pulled too fast. _

_And soon, he was out of her sight. "Damon..."_

And then she awoke, neither chained, nor bound in any kind of way. She was even lying on a comfortable bed, pillows surrounding her on all sides_. _It reminded her of her room.

_What the hell was going on!_

**Okay, okay...fun fun fun. I known it's kinda short, but this is chapter seven...hope you liked it! Chapter 8 should be up soon, so while you wait, please REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8:Aerolis

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Well…I'm sorry. I know I told you I would put the eighth chapter up soon. Well, the grandparents surprised me and decided to take me out of town…so I haven't really been sitting long enough to type out the next chapter…**

**But to make it up, here's a good part! I know it may be short, but I guarantee you'll love it! When I was writing it, it surprised me! So I hope you like it!**

**Oh, and one more thing…I'm sorry some of my chapters are short…but if you'd like, you can make the words bigger, and it'll give the illusion that it's more. *cheesy smile* Haha. I promise I'll try to write longer chapters in the future…but it's so fun to make you squirm in your seat! Mwa ha ha ha! (Evil laugh)**

**Well...almost ten reviews on my last chapter! Thank you! I have 50 reviews! Half a hundred!**

**Okay, enough of me…more of…yeah…**

Damon was pacing again. He'd been doing it nonstop since the dream. Meredith leaned against the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room, and piled her spoon with more slow churned vanilla ice cream from the tub in her hand.

"You're not going to get any closer to Bonnie if you keep going in circles, Damon." She said, not in a matter-of-fact way, but more of an observing way. She didn't blame him for Bonnie's kidnapping, but he was sure as hell going to find a way to get her back.

Damon didn't look at her, but sat back on the couch he had woken up on, but nearly on the edge. If he thought of it more, he was going to be up once again, repeating his actions once again. Meredith sat next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She couldn't lie, the action was an awkward one because she wasn't used to comforting Damon. He was always the untouchable one.

Now, he was…frazzled, unraveled, one tiny space away from snapping. He blamed this whole fiasco on himself, and no one else even though he had no clue who the perpetrator was. She tried offering him some of her ice cream, but he pushed It away. She set it down.

She squeezed his shoulder. "You'll do everything in your power to get her back."

It was a statement, but Damon answered anyways. "Yes."

And Meredith believed him. She believed he wouldn't eat, sleep, or do anything else until he found her.

But from this point of view, Damon was looking at many sleepless, foodless days. He had nowhere to start…besides the dream.

Before all this started, before Stefan came to this little old Fell's Church, Meredith believed dreams were nothing more than a figment of imagination, but ever since Elena kept coming into Bonnie's dream…well, she wouldn't doubt a lot more things than before.

"Well, have you got any-"

_Wrong thing to say._ He exploded. "What the hell do you think I've been doing? I haven't got a clue where to start!"

"How about Bonnie?" Both Meredith and Damon jumped to defense mode when the unfamiliar female voice sounded.

She was standing behind them, exactly where Meredith had been standing before. She stood in a formal, elegant silver dress, the color, complimenting her pale skin. Her pearl-blue eyes winked along with her rose-pink lips. The smile was not one evil, but a friendly one.

"Who are you?" Meredith asked, her voice hard, but not panicked. She could never show her fear.

The woman's smile never faltered. Although there was a hint of…Meredith squinted her eyes…worry. "I am Aerolis Santaro. I mean no harm, but come as an advisor and companion." Her eyes left Meredith, and sought Damon's. Her smile slowly fell. She didn't speak.

Meredith looked at him from the side of her eye. He was relaxed, although his eyes were intense.

The silence was a painful one. Aerolis looked at Damon beseechingly, and Damon looked back, his eyes hard, his posture lax. Then one of his I-don't-care smirks appeared, but he carried on the silence.

Meredith finally couldn't take it anymore. "What do you guys know that I don't?" she said, her voice still even.

"Plenty." Was Damon's cocky reply.

"Damon! We don't have time. Bonnie's out there, with who knows what happening to her. I don't have time for your petty fights."

That wiped the smile right off of his face. He became angry. "Who says it's petty?"

"I do. Now shut up." Meredith turned to Aerolis. "What do you know?"

"That Damon can find Bonnie on his own."

"That's all you came to say? Gee…I could've figured that one out on my own. Anything new?"

"I said shut up." Meredith glared at Damon. She turned to see Aerolis wiping the sadness from her eyes. "Are you saying he doesn't need any help from anyone, that he should find Bonnie alone because he deserves it? If that is what you're saying, I d agree with the deserving part, but the rest…I'm going to have to disagree with you. I'm going with him no matter what."

Aeolis smiled again. "No. That's not what I meant at all. I simply meant that Damon can reach Bonnie right now. He has a special link with her."

"Why should I believe you-"Damon said, once again hiding behind a nonchalant smile.

"I said SHUT UP!" Meredith said, her last straw with Damon pulled.

Damon stared down at Meredith in quiet menace, his hands in his back pockets, but his face radiating anger. "I don't need this," He said to Meredith. He looked at Aerolis. "and I sure as hell don't believe you."

He changed and flew out the kitchen.

Meredith turned back to Aerolis. "Okay. Tell me what you know."

Aerolis, who had been previously wringing her hands, staring at the fluttering curtains that was the only sign that Damon had went through them, looked at Meredith with fear afresh in her eyes. "Well…the person who took Bonnie…" She looked down at her hands, playing with one silver band on her ring finger.

"Yes?" Meredith encouraged.

Aerolis looked back up, straight into Meredith's eyes.

"He's my husband."

**Sooo…one little favor I would ask of you in return. A review. Critique. Praise. It's what I live for.**

**I'm already on my way to writing the next chapter.**

**~Kyeire**


	9. Chapter 9:What's Realized

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Okay…so you guys didn't think this would go up the very next day I hope…but I have really REALLY love you guys! WOW! FOURTEEN REVIEWS! I am so so so so so happy! And 188 visitors to Chapter 8 alone! This makes me more confident to keep going! Thank you guys for boosting my self esteem, because to tell you the truth, I didn't think I would be able to write this much! Thank you thank you thank you!**

**Thanks to all that review *hint hint* LOL.**

**So this is going to be from three different point of views…Bonnie POV, Meredith POV and Damon POV in that order. **

**And now, without further ado…Here's chapter 9. Enjoy.**

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**BPOV**

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Just a few seconds after she awoke, the door opened.

That face. That jacket. Those eyes.

Bonnie gasped.

"Do not be alarmed _Cara._" He spoke, his face a mask of indifference. "I will not harm you in any way."

"Eh? No? What do you call kidnapping me then?" Bonnie said, he hands fisted. Even though she was afraid, she stared him right in his evil eyes. She was not going to show her fear.

"It is not you I want to capture, but by kidnapping you-his _little bird_-I shall get who I want." His face suddenly changed from expressionless to the evil face she remembered. His creepy smile stretched from ear to ear.

Bonnie stamped down the urge to shiver. She would be strong. "Why? What did he do to you?"

His dark, unmerciful eyes met hers, kept hold of them. "I'll tell you what he has done to me." He said, his mouth becoming a thin line. "Then maybe even you will be disgusted by him as well."

**

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**MPOV**

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"Your daughter? What does she have to do with all this?" Meredith sat across from Aerolis. Although she didn't know whether to trust this lady or not, she decided to give her a chance. But she did keep on the alert, so that she wouldn't be caught on the unawares.

"Well, that's why he's after…well, it would be better if I start with the beginning." Aerolis bent her head down in a demure way, as if she was embarrassed. Then she looked up, straight into Meredith's eyes. "But this can only be shown, not told. Do you trust me?" Her blue eyes never wavered.

Meredith had a feeling that she wasn't going to like what happened next.

"What are you going to do to me?" She asked.

Aerolis kept her eyes determinedly on Meredith, although Meredith could tell there was something she was keeping back besides what she said next. "I want to show you…"

Meredith stared at her. There seemed to be pain in the other woman's eyes. "As long as you don't kill me." She said, barely believing herself that she was going to trust this woman.

"Alright." Aerolis said, her voice suddenly strained. "I'm going to need contact."

Meredith rounded the table to sit on the same couch, facing her.

Aerolis set the tips of her fingers lightly to Meredith's temples. She stared deeply into Meredith's eyes.

Suddenly, Meredith had the feeling she was being ripped out. Like her soul was being torn out of her body. She knew this woman was doing it, but she couldn't do anything because everything went black the second she realized it, and all that was there was the pain. Excruciating pain.

So this was how she was going to die. She thought she'd be older. Maybe a chance to have the experience to have kids and a family.

_Calm down, Meredith. I'm just moving your conscience into my being, so you can share my memories. The pain shall soon be gone. _Aerolis said, her soothing voice calming Meredith a little.

And as promised, a few seconds more of enduring the pain, it vanished. When she opened her eyes, it was not her warm yellow walls and bold red couches, but a very old-fashioned…what do you call them…oh, a parlor!

Wait…A parlor?

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**DPOV**

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Damon sat in the tree outside of Bonnie's house. He saw when Bonnie's sister came in, first annoyed, then worried before she ran out the room, crying Bonnie's name. He heard her call Meredith's phone, with no answer. Of course Meredith didn't want to be the one to tell the family Bonnie was kidnapped.

Damon laughed to himself. What a coward. Maybe he shouldn't bring her…but then Meredith _was _Bonnie's best friend. Why should he deprive her of seeing Bonnie?

He wanted her all to himself. That's why. He'd already planned on keeping her at his side every minute she was living…and possibly make her his dark queen.

No…he didn't want something so pure to be disturbed. He had no right to take away her humanity. After all, she was one of the most purest humans he knew. And even though it would destroy him to watch her grow old and die, he would kill himself than ruin that blinding cleanliness. He just couldn't.

He would stay by her side though. Every single minute she was alive, he would be right there. She would still be his queen.

He realized in a split second. _His Queen? When had he moved from Elena being his vision of his dark queen to Bonnie becoming his Human Queen? _It hit him square in the chest. God, he was acting like a lovestruck_ fool_!

He couldn't. Make her his queen, he couldn't. Only trouble would come from that.

He would find her, he vowed, but after that…

After he made sure she was safe, he would leave. It was the only way. The only way.

And somewhere in all the darkness in his soul, something cracked.

**So…I know Damon's kinda lovey dovey, but yeah….sorry about that. **

**But! What do you think?**

**And if my hint didn't work out earlier…well, I would really love it if you would REVIEW!**

**Once again, I thank all who have review. It really does keep me going!**

**LOL…until next time, you favorite author by penname…**

**~Kyeire~**


	10. Chapter 10:Presence

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Hey guys...thank you for waiting so patiently. I know I took forever! **

**And sorry, this part has little action, but I'm still building up to the climax! Dun dun dun!**

**One more thing before Chapter ten, I'd like to ive out a shoutout to some people. Mostly those who have been her since the beginning. To ****Midnight****, who was my first reviewer, and also stayed with the story!To ****pnkrchik****, ****aNDREa SalvatorE****, and ****Danielle Salvatore****, who have been awesome at leaving me many reviews, and last, but not least, to**** -'SmxxiWolfyRosy.'- ****who never fails to leave the longest reviews!**

**To the others, I am SO grateful you guys have left for review, because without you guys, this story would be a total failure! Thank you! YOu guys always make me want to just write more to make you guys happy. ;}**

**DPOV**

Damon left Bonnie's house shortly after Mary left for the police. Before he left, he stopped by Bonnie's mother's bedside. It was a good thing Mary decided not to tell her. She was sick enough without having to worry about where her daughter was. Damon gently nudged her awake. "Hello, Mrs. McCullough."

Before the weak woman could panic and cause herself a heart attack, he looked deep into her eyes. "You will not worry about your daughter. Damon will find her. You will sleep deeply, and comfortably."

Mrs. McCullough's eyes suddenly drooped. She muttered, "Sleepy" before falling limp in sleep once more. This time, she seemed more peaceful than before.

Damon left the house, making sure all the doors and windows were locked before heading back to Meredith's.

He only agreed to take Meredith because Bonnie wold like that.

He growled. When had he become so soft!

_Since you met Bonnie. _A voice in his head whispered to him. He hissed because that voice was right.

When had he ever cared so much to rescue a human girl? To the point where he would share his blood to do it!

To tell the truth, he didn't think he would even want to do that for Katherine.

And why did he have the need to refer to her as his little bird? Why did he have this overwhelming need to _protect _her?

Damon cleared his head of all his thoughts of Bonnie. At this rate, he'd be more infatuated with her than before, then he wouldn't leave her when she was rescued.

He had to. It was for the best.

Why did it seem more and more fake the more he repeated it?

He changed into a crow, cawing his restlessness loudly to the skies as he flew to Meredith's house.

He entered the same window he had exited.

The sight in the living room shocked him into changing back into his human form.

Meredith lay on Aerolis' lap, Aerolis' hands were on both sides of Meredith's head.

"What are you doing! Remove your hands from off of her!"

He exerted the power that pushed Aerolis, or rather, threw her into the wall. She put her hands up in surrender.

"All I was doing was showing her the past. What happened. She asked! I promise she will not be harmed!"

Damon almost laughed. The woman looked genuinely afraid. If he hadn't known what she could do, he might have believed her.

"Witch, I do not believe a word you say. What have you done to her? If she's dead, I'm going to make sure your death is a slow and painful one." He stepped over the unconscious Meredith to reach Aerlois. He picked her up by the neck, pinning her to the wall, and spoke through gritted teeth. "Your appearance doesn't phase me. You can't trick me. I already know what you can do." He said, making sure she understood him by squeezing her neck harder.

Aerolis clawed at his hand, trying to take in some air. She was pathetic. Damon let her go in disgust. "Don't try anything, or you will die." He said as he turned his back on her, going to check on Bonnie's best friend.

Meredith was still, but he could see her chest rising and falling. Her face showed no pain. He picked her up, and laid her out on the sofa before he turned back to Aerolis who was lightly touching her neck and taking in deep breaths.

He opened his mouth to demand what Aerolis did, but something...

Bonnie! He could feel her presence!

_Damon, I trust you!_

It was faint, but he heard it. It was Bonnie!

But just as he felt her presence, it vanished.

**BPOV**

_His dark, unmerciful eyes met hers, kept hold of them. "I'll tell you what he has done to me." He said, his mouth becoming a thin line. "Then maybe even you will be disgusted by him as well."_

Bonnie shivered in spite of herself. His voice just seemed to make her do it involuntarily.

"Oh," Mr. Mysterious Man said, and he smiled. Bonnie gasped. Smiling like this, he almost looked normal, not anything like an insane man. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I am Mikaelo Santaro." He winked at her. "Call me Miko."

"How..." Bonnie said unknowingly said, as she inadertedly spoke out her thought. _How could-_

"Yes?" Miko asked, straightening the lapels of his jacket.

"How could Damon cause-" Before she could say another word, he struck fast as lightneing, causing her to bounce back on the bed. She held her stinging cheek as Miko menacingly looked on. "Do _not,_" He huffed. "Say that name again!" He suddenly turned on his heel and left the room, the door banging closed behind him, followed by the click of the lock turning into place.

Bonnie sat stunned for a minute, her eyes still on the door and her hand still on her cheek.

"I've got to get out of here." She breathed. "Before he kills me in his anger."

The first place she checked was the window. Bars. She tried picking the lock with her bobbypin she found in her pocket. No use. She tried the vents, with no luck. They were screwed in tight.

In frustration, she flung herself back on the bed. Her sister would probably wonder where she was now. She had to be off work by now. And mom. What if Mary told her? Would it make her condition worse? And Meredith! Meredith would be strong.

She sat back up. Meredith would find her.

_Let me come rescue you, but you have to tell me where you are!_

Damon would definitely try and find her. He was the only one who was the closest to knowing where she was.

_Damon, I trust you! _She said in her mind with all her might. Then she laid back, not knowing what else to do.


	11. Chapter 11:Perfection

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Okay guys, this may be short, but hang in there with me! This is going to be a little old-in-the-days kinda thing. I may not be good with staying in the era, but please excuse me if I do lapse back into modern english!**

**And one more thing, I'm sorry for those who are real fans of Bonnie and Damon will miss them for a bit...this is going to be focused on Meredith/ Aerolis. **

**Without further ado, Chapter Eleven.**

Meredith wasn't herself. Not at all. She was-

"Aerolis! Where are you going! We need to be going if we're going to get there on time!"

"Sorry, I need to go get something!" She ran out the parlor and back into her room. She searched the room, looking for something to go around her shoulders. "Ah, what ...oh! I know. It would be...

"Just give me one more minute, and I'll be done." She searched through the armoire, looking for something specific. "I know it's somewhere in here...I know it's somewhere here-ah, here it is!" She stood up with a shawl clutched between her ivory hands.

"Aerolis, we're going to leave you if-"

"I'm coming!" Aerolis looked through the gilded mirror, adjusting the deep purple shawl around her bare shoulders. The gown was an exquisite dark green velvet ballgown. "Perfect!" She said, she threw her head a little to enunciate the word, and the gold earrings glittered along with the golden necklace with ths stone the same color of her dress sparkling at the base of her throat.

She hurried and joined her sisters in the parlor.

"Finally!" Nadana, her eldest sister rolled her eyes as she walked to the front door, their butler, Heinten, hurrying in front of her to open the door before she reached it.

"Nada, you cannot rush perfection!" Aerolis said, smirking. "And it was your fault. You were the last one to wear my shawl, and I had to go to the back of the armoire to find it!"

"Well, you didn't have to wear that specific shawl."

"Yes, I did. Like I said, perfection takes time."

"Please guys, can you guys live one day without fighting?" Irina, the middle sister interjected. "We're on our way to a ball! Our first ball! And I heard this is indeed a grand one!"

Aerolis smiled. "And that's the reason why I had to look my best, dear sister."

Heinten held the door open, looking as sophisticated as any gentleman. A far cry from how they had found him as a drunkard and slug. He had smelled as worse as a skunk, and yet, father had taken him in, ordered him cleaned up and fed, then gave him a job. The same with their housekeeper, Ms. Knowles who he had found as a prostitute. Most would say that Count Duveaux's hobby was turning the worst person around and making them the best.

Aerolis smiled at him as she passed him on her way to the carriage. Nada stopped. "Heinten, where is our mother?"

"She is in the garden, Miss Duveaux."

"Inform her we are on our way. Tell her to expect us home no later than half past eleven."

"Yes, miss. I shall." He bowed, closing the door behind Irina, who was hiding a book in the folds of her dress.

They all climbed into the carriage, talking about who they thought would be there.

"I heard the Marquis' daughter, Elaina would be there. Do you think she would talk to us?" Irina asked.

"Maybe, although, knowing her status, she may be a snobbish brat." Nada sniffed.

Irina gasped. "Nada!"

Aerolis had to hold her laughter in. "She's probably not lying, Iri. The highest ranks do look down on the rest of us." She shot her sister an apologetic smile. "But who I'm really looking forward to seeing is that handsome man she calls her brother." She leaned in towards her older sisters. "He would make a dashing partner on the dance floor."

Nada raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think he'll dance with you? He'll look at me and forget about even his dear disapproving mother."

They all laughed.

"Keep him. I heard the Duke Santaro's son, the ravishing Monsieur Mikaelo will be there. Now that is my target for this evening. One dance with him is all I ask." Aerolis feigned a faint.

"Lissa, you haven't seen him yet. And you haven't heard anything but gossip. What if he was the most horrendous sight?" Nada shook her head.

"Why would gossip such as I heard be started about someone horrendous as you are saying? I'm telling you, I will know him. He shall be the one surrounded by the ladies. If he is so ravishing as I heard, the ladies will love him, and even his currency status will draw them also. We'll spot him right away."

Irina rolled her eyes and opened her book.

**So, this is just leading into the history. It will start making sense real soon. Thank you so much for supporting me.**

**For now, your favorite author by penname,**

**~Kyeire~**


	12. Chapter 12:Be Yourself

**Just so it's clear, here are the ages of the girls:**

**Nadana-18**

**Aerolis-17**

**Irina-15**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"Winslon Hall." Aerolis gasped. All three sisters looked out the carriage window at the looming, bright mansion in front of them.

"It's beautiful!" Irina said.

"Look at all those lights! It's so bright!" Nadana laughed. "Pinch me, my sisters, I _must_ be dreaming!"

They looked at each other and squealed.

"We're actually here!"

"Our first ball!"

"Such a grand occasion!"

They were all laughing and talking until the carriage came to a complete stop. Silence followed.

"Ahm… Lissa, Nada, I don't feel so good."

Aerolis waved it off. "It's just your nerves Iri, you'll be fine." she said with much confidence in her voice, but the giggle that followed was very thin.

Nada didn't say anything. She just looked down at her wringing hands.

"But what I make a klutz of myself? What if I trip when I'm dancing." Suddenly her eyes became as wide as saucers. "What if I squeak or squeal or snort or do something that makes us look bad! Then we won't be invited to ball as grand as this one!" By this time she was nearly pulling her hair out. Nada and Aerolis both didn't say anything, due to the fact that they were afraid of the same thing. "Oh…" Irina covered her face. "You guys go without me." Nada's head snapped up, Aerolis gasped. "I'll go back home. I _know _I'll mess up. I just feel it."

"You'll do no such thing!" Aerolis replied, a little harsh due to surprise. Nada and Iri glanced at her, their own faces showing surprise.

"What is it?" She asked.

Irina giggled.

Nada smiled. "You sounded just like mother right now."

Aerolis gawked. "Eh? Like mother?"

Irina smiled up at her sister only two years older than her. "Yes. You pulled off her superior voice."

"Superior voice?"

"Yes." Nada responded. "You said exactly and sounded exactly like mother when she objected our going to the ball. Don't you remember?"

Aerolis smiled. "Yes…did I really sound just like her?"

"I thought mother was in her for a moment." Irina giggled again.

Aerolis smiled warmly at her little sister. She seemed to have forgotten all about her nervousness due to her. And not even intentionally.

A knock sounded at the carriage door. "Lady Nadana? Are you all ready? Shall I open the door?"

Irina's smile disappeared in a split second, her fear kicking in. "Ah, sisters, I cannot do this."

Aerolis looked at her sternly. "You will come. We, the Duveauxes do not back away from our fears. We stand strong when we are frightened as well as when we are not, we are-"

"Save the family motto for another time, Lissa." Nada cut her off. "Irina." She turned to her youngest sister, taking her hands into her own. "All you have to do is be yourself. If you try too hard to be someone else, you will mess up. Remember all we've been taught, but don't forget who you are trying to remember that." She drew back, sitting back onto her side of the carriage. "and above all else, my sisters, no matter what happens, do not lose hope. Do not become discouraged." She was looking down again, but sorrow adorned her face. Then she rapped on the carriage door. She smiled a bright smile. "Let's dazzle them, my sisters. Let's show them the Duveaux name!"

The carriage door opened and she disappeared out the door.

Irina and Aerolis looked at each other.

"Did she…?" Aerolis asked, her eyes narrowing in question.

"I don't know. Why don't you keep an eye on her."

"How about we?" Aerolis smiled and took her sister's hand, dragging her out of the carriage behind her.

"Hey!" Irina squealed. "I don't-"

"Forget it, we stand together at this ball. You promised."

Irina looked back at the retreating carriage longingly. "But-"

"Just be yourself!"

"Ah…okay." Irina said, giving in. "But I'm telling you, I feel as though I'm going to mess up."

* * *

**Well, to tell the truth, I don't know how long this is going to be…but I am working on cutting back…I may have to start up a new story just on these three sister's love lives…how come I come up with Ideas with stuff that's supposed to be short. I promise I'll try and keep this to four or five chapters! =****J be happy. And take care!**

**Until later,**

**~Kyeire~**


	13. Chapter 13:Memories

****

WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.

**Okay Guys, Chapter 13 up! I know it's kind of boring with the Aerolis' past, but I am trying my best to get her history with damon and Miko(Mr. Mysterious) explained...as usual, it's taking way longer than I expected. Well, I am thinking one more after this and I will be done...but that's a big MAYBE! **

**So, italics are the present Aerolis. Big spaces between the paragraphs are different scenes. Sorry if I confuse you.**

**Next, Damon will be in the chapter...please enjoy this one and Review!**

**Chapter 13:**

Aerolis watched her older sister sit down in one of the seats near the dance floor as she was whisked away in yet another waltz. She twirled once to see Nada decline an offer to dance, twirled twice to see her looking towards where Irina had been sitting. She looked also, but couldn't find her younger sister either.

From there, she endured unto the end of the song, curtseying before excusing herself.

She went straight to her sister. "Nadana, do you know where Irina has gone?"

"Ah, no. She ruined her slipper when one of her clumsy dance partners stepped on her foot. She did say she had a bad feeling. The last time I saw her, I think she was headed to the powder room, but that was a little while ago."

"I'll go look for her. I'm a bit concerned." She picked up the hem of her dress an made her way towards the powder room.

She realized as soon as the ballroom was out of sight, that another hallway branched off from the direction opposite of the powder room. Maybe Irina went that way, considering she was probably sulking.

She went down that hallway, wondering why this hallway was so dark, when the ballroom was so light.

"Irina." She called out while waiting for her eyes to adjust.

Halfway down the long hallway, she saw a balcony, and a silhouetted, broad shouldered man stood with his back against the rail. "Excuse me sir, have you seen-"

"Shh!" He suddenly said, reaching quickly and taking hold of her around her waist to drag her close to him, using his free hand to cover her mouth. When she was close enough to him, he whispered in her ear. "I'm trying to stay hidden."

Just then, footsteps were heard. "Monsieur Mikaelo." Someone called out. "Please. Your father will be very angry when he finds out…" The soft, calling voice died out and he removed his hand from her mouth.

"Please forgive me for asking, but are you the Duke Santaro's heir?"

It was quiet for a moment before he softly answered. "Yes, I am."

"Oh, I can go home happy now! I've met the son of the highest ranked man in the city, danced with high-ranked men, and haven't made one mistake!"

A chuckle came from where Mikaelo stood. "You are…an interesting woman."

"Oh! Sorry for not introducing myself." Aerolis curtseyed the deepest she could, then said, "I am Aerolis, second daughter to Count Duveaux. Pleased to meet you, your grace."

"By any chance, is this your first ball?" He asked. Aerolis gasped.

"How did you know?" She asked, surprised.

"Your enthusiasm. Those who attend regularly do not have the enthusiasm you have right now."

"Oh…You…are not enjoying this magnificent ball?"

"When you've attended more than fifteen, the glamour does not affect you anymore, although I am beginning to not regret my coming here."

"Really, and why is that?"

"You."

Aerolis was thrown off anymore, and was suddenly happy that it was dark so it could cover her burning cheeks.

"Your enthusiasm is contagious." Aerolis had the feeling that he was smiling.

"Ah…thank you, your grace."

He sighed, and to Aerolis, it sounded as though he was annoyed. "Your Grace, have I-"

"Please! Call me Miko." She could see enough now to see that he had one hand in his pocket and the other was running through his hair.

She almost asked him why, then stopped herself. "Okay…Miko."

"Yes?"

"Well, you told me to call you." She said.

That deserved another chuckle from him, and his restless hand rested on the balcony rail.

Aerolis smiled. She had done what she had wanted to do…oh wait. Irina! "Oh dear! I had forgotten to ask you about my sister."

"I remember seeing a young lady enter the gardens on my way here."

"Ah…" Aerolis almost left, then stopped and turned back around. "Do you know where the garden is?"

Miko was looking down from the balcony. "Ah, that's the young lady I saw." He said, pointing below.

Aerolis hurried to the rail, and looked where Miko was pointing. "Yes! That's her! Thank you!" She turned and hugged him. "Than you for helping me find my sister!" She realized a few seconds later that he was quiet, rigid, and not hugging her back. That's when she realized what she informally, wantonly did. "Ah!" She said, backing away from him instantly. "I am sorry!"

Aerolis saw his shoulders shake, and was afraid he was mad. "I'm really sorry, I'll just go right-"

She was interrupted by a loud laugh. He was laughing!

Aerolis nervously giggled.

"You," he said between laughs, "Are one very different woman."

"Yes…" Aerolis blushed. "I guess I am."

His laughter died down. "Now that you've found your sister, please, do me the honor of becoming my partner in the next dance?"

Aerolis stared at his outstretched hand. "Ah…Yes…of course."

She placed her small, delicate hand into his larger, callused hand and followed him back into the ballroom.

One look at his face in full light, and Aerolis almost tripped. He was so handsome! He smiled down at her, and led her onto the dance floor just as the first strains of waltz music filled the air.

_That one glance at him, and I knew I fell in love with him. _Meredith realized it was the present Aerolis that had spoken. _Now I am going to skip through._

* * *

What followed next was many scenes in fast forward. Aerolis and her sisters talking of the men the each met at the ball. Then it fast forwarded to Aerolis being called on by Miko. They met once. Then scenes changed again, and a enraged Duke of Santaro came in person to tell Aerolis to never meet his son again because she was rumored to be of witch descent.

The scenes that followed were ones of them meeting in private, until Aerolis turned nineteen, when they ran away together and married.

Aerolis was surprised by a small cottage in the middle of the forest Miko said would be their house. From here, Aerolis slowed down again.

* * *

"Miko! Thank you!" Aerolis hugged her husband of two months. "Look! Right there, I can grown my herb garden! And there! Flowers can grow! And on the porch! I can sit on the porch!"

Aerolis swept around to each of the place she had talked about and Miko stared on with a smile on his lips. "Anything for my flower."

* * *

"Miko! You're back! I've made dinner. Come sit down." It had been three months since they had moved in, and Aerolis was absolutely happy.

"Sorry flower, I am going to go to my workshop. I want to finish the rocking chair. It's almost complete."

"Wait. I have some news." Aerolis looked down at her wringing hands. "I was hoping to eat first, so as to calm my nerves, but if you really want to leave now, I should tell you now…" Miko finally took notice of her nervousness. She took in a shaky breath before looking him in the eye. "Honey, I'm pregnant."

The minute it left her mouth, Miko's legs buckled and he landed hard on his bottom. His eyes unfocused, and he was dead still. "P-p-pregn-nant?" He asked a few minutes later to his still-nervous wife.

"Yes."

"You're positive?"

"Yes."

A few seconds later, slowly, the corners of Miko's mouth came up. "Flower, you know this means we're having a baby!" He was up and twirling is wife around in his arms. "A baby! Flower! A Baby!" He laughed out loud, a laugh that came from deep in his gut.

Aerolis finally smiled. "Yes. A baby."

The next scenes were ones of the two setting up a nursery, making cribs, knitting clothes, and painting the walls.

It went on to show nights where Aerolis lounged in the nursery, knitting in the rocking chair alone.

Other nights, she laid on her back in a n empty bed.

Then there were others where she waited until dawn on the parlor couch, staring at the flames crackle, until they died down.

_I hadn't paid attention to his nightly habits at all, until the baby started keeping me up later. Usually, I would be asleep by the time he headed out.. It wasn't until later that I realized what it was keeping him out every night. It wasn't until later when our lives were almost ending when I found out._

* * *

"Eight months!" Aerolis said to her husband who kissed her rounded belly. "What are we going to call her?"

"How are you so sure it's a girl?"

"I just know. Now what do you want to call her?"

"How about Molly."

"Molly? Eh…I don't know, it doesn't seem to fit."

"Well then," He said, sitting back on his haunches. "let's go with my mother's philosophy. What's your grandmother's name?"

"Erowina."

"Perfect!" He said, jubilantly.

Aerolis smiled. "Okay."

"Come on." He said, standing up, and pulling her by he hands.

"Huh?"

"Let's go outside." He said, his hazel eyes lighting with excitement.

Aerolis laughed and followed him, his playful mode affecting her.

As soon as they were outside, she stole his handkerchief from his back pocket. "Hey husband. Isn't this your best handkerchief? Why is it in your back pocket? Shouldn't it be in your front pocket?" She waved it in front of him.

"Alright, my little lovely wife. What are you up to?"

"I'm feeling playful. Try and get it from me." She said, suddenly taking off, going pretty fast, considering how large her belly was.

"Aerolis! Be careful!" He said, his concern weaved into his yell, and he took off after her.

Aerolis faced forward, and ran into two people. They looked pretty normal, although the dark trench coats gave her an ominous feeling.

"Hey Klaus, they say the pregnant ones are the tastiest." The one who said that had a smile that frightened Aerolis.

"This is private property. You shouldn't be here." Miko came up behind Aerolis, and pushed her slightly behind him.

"And they say the big doggies are the juiciest, Sam."

Aerolis heard a growl come from Miko. "Miko? Are you alright?"

"Stay behind me, Lissa."

"Oh, you haven't told your wife your shocking secret, have you?" Klaus chuckled.

"Don't worry," The one called Sam spoke up. "We'll tell her what you are before we eat her."

"What," Aerolis said, "do you mean?"

"Your husband is a doggy." Klaus smiled, and the shocking elongated teeth in the front gleaned back at her.

"That's enough." Miko said.

"A shape shifter." Sam added.

"Leave!" Miko growled.

"We're hungry." Sam whined, his pouting face showed his two incisors.

"I don't think I will leave you two alive. It'd be more fun to see the life leave your body." Klaus regarded Aerolis. "Any last words?"

**Okay, so what did you guys think? Please tell me! **

**Oh! And one more favor...please, if you can, do a poll on my profile page...it has to do with another story, "Finding the Truth", but I need input, if you would be so kind!**

**From the author by penname, **

**~Kyeire~**


	14. Chapter 14:Vampires

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**{A/N}**

**Guys! I LOVE YOU! 101 comments on the previous thirteen chapters! Thank you sooo much!**

**Okay….so I am sooo glad you guys enjoy Aerolis' past! I really was fretting over whether I was just boring you guys with them! **

**Okay, questions arrived in comments. Well, here's the answers:**

From midnightquiver : Wait Sam? That wouldn't be from trueblood would it?

**Answer: Ah, no…although that would have been a good idea! Sam in Aerolis' memory is actually a random, "doesn't matter" minion of Klaus'. Kind of like Klaus meant Katherine to be.**

From Midnight: Anybody else wanna kill Klaus?

**Answer: Yes! Actually, this idea came from out of the blue, and as soon as I started writing it, couldn't believe I actually thought of it! Lol. Spur of the moment ideas are the best!**

From Lula6791 : But what Damon did to them?

**Answer: Let's continue to find out! **

**Okay, so, as promised, Damon will be making an appearance in chapter fourteen. Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment at the end. Criticism is my friend! And if you want to hear me get better, well, criticizing me is the only way!**

**{End A/N}**

_End Chapter 13:_

"_What," Aerolis said, "do you mean?" _

"_Your husband is a doggy." Klaus smiled, and the shocking elongated teeth in the front gleaned back at her._

"_That's enough." Miko said._

"_A shape shifter." Sam added with an evil laugh._

_Miko growled. "Leave!" _

"_We're hungry." Sam whined, his pouting face showed his two incisors._

"_I don't think I will leave you two alive. It'd be more fun to see the life leave your body." Klaus regarded Aerolis. "Any last words?"_

**Chapter 14**

_I would spare you the details, but this is a part of my explanation. _The present Aerolis spoke, her soft voice resonating with sorrow.

What followed next was the fight.

Aerolis was pushed to the side by Miko as he transformed into the biggest wolf she'd ever seen. The roar that sounded nearly convinced her that that wasn't Miko at all, but then those hazel eyes turned to her, filled with concern. It was him alright.

Clap. Clap. Clap. "Bravo bravo. Nice show." Klaus had this calm and collected smile on his face, as though Miko was no threat to him at all. "Now, can we please get on with this? I'm getting hungry."

Miko growled, but stayed by Aerolis side.

"Go," She whispered. When he looked at her with protectiveness, Aerolis said, "I know how to shield myself. Go."

With much reluctance, he left, throwing himself to the middle of the fight. Sam attacked him, but Klaus just stood back and watched with sick amusing smirk on his face.

Aerolis took all the time she was allotted to cast the circle of protection around her like her mother had taught her.

She clapped her hands together in front of her, gathering the spirit inside of her. To it, she spoke, "In a circle, surround to protect. All around me, please protect. From all danger, Protect!" She finished, and a film of blue spread around her, creating and perfect sphere of a pulsating transparent blue. All her concentration had been solely on making a protective barrier between herself and the others for her baby's sake. If it had not been for the baby, she herself, would be over there helping Miko fight. When at last she was protected, her attention was drawn to the battle, and she cried out in horror. "_Miko!_" He was covered in blood, and his chocolate brown fur on his arm had been slashed to pieces. The flesh hung, and blood, like a waterfall was pouring from it.

But he had his jaw locked around the struggling vampire's neck. He thrashed his head side to side, and the trapped Sam had no other option but to be thrown around like a rag doll.

"Astonishing, isn't it."

Aerolis gasped. She had been so focused on the fight that she hadn't even paid attention to the more frightening of the vampires. Klaus was now lounging against a tree just outside her circle of protection.

"I found him nearly dying outside of a pub. Seems he owed some money to a very important person, but never paid it back. I easily picked him up. He was so easy to persuade to make into this minion of mine. All I asked was 'would you like more life?' and he had 'yes' out of his mouth before I could even finish speaking." Klaus smirked. "He stands no chance against your beloved Miko."

"You evil, vile, _inhuman_ thing!" Aerolis seethed, her anger getting the best of her. The blue film around her pulsed a little brighter from her anger, feeding her spirit, that was protecting her.

Klaus smiled, once again showing his elongated, pearl-white fangs, nowhere near afraid of anything. "I know." He looked towards the fight that Sam was consistently losing, and his smile became more evil. "Such a fun game to watch, don't you agree? Your husband's winning after all…"

"No, I am not glad. This should not have happened."

"What, your husband turning into a doggy?"

"No, our meeting should not have happened."

Klaus sent a side glance at Aerolis. "Aren't you even the slightest repulsed by you husband?"

Aerolis, who had previously had her eyes locked on her husband looked at Klaus full on, her whole expression serious and filled with concern. "No." She simply answered. "I am a witch after all. I should've known things such as werewolves and vampires existed also. If anyone, I am repulsed by you and your sick games."

"You witch!" Klaus spat, his laid-back attitude, suddenly vanished.

"I know." Aerolis smiled and was satisfied when Klaus raged. "What? Are you angry that your game isn't going the way you planned?"

"I was going to let you live! I had plans for you! And now, all I want to do is kill you." Klaus smiled. He stared deep into her eyes, his pupils dilating. "Let me in." He said, and Aerolis knew right away that the myth that vampires could use compulsion was a reality.

Against her will, she lifted her hands and spoke. "My spirit, let the one I choose enter safely through your protection."

Klaus smiled. "That's it." He walked, stepped one foot into the blue film, then the other before he let her eyes go. "Now I will make you suffer." Aerolis suddenly backed up, her control all hers once again.

"There's no use running, I'll catch up anyway," Klaus studied his fingers. "But if you want to play cat and mouse, I'll oblige. The blood warms up when the package is active anyways."

Aerolis gathered herself up together, reached for that power passed down through the women in her family that marked her as a witch to society. "No. I will not run."

Klaus looked up at her in surprise.

"No?"

"No. I will defeat you."

Klaus was shocked, his eyes wide as he stared disbelieving at Aerolis who stood proudly. Then he laughed. "You think you could defeat me? I'm older than you by almost a century. I didn't last this long without-"

Suddenly his arms were being licked by flames.

"But have you ever felt the wrath of a true witch?" Aerolis looked at Klaus with hatred flaring in her eyes. Her blue spirit pulsed around her like a translucent blanket.

Klaus roared, both in pain and in rage. He threw his hair out of his eyes and looked her dead in her eyes. "Let me go." He said, his frantic eyes dilating as he said it. Aerolis couldn't stop it, and her spirit faded away, leaving Klaus' arms red. He looked down at them before he lifted his angry eyes up to her. "I will make you pay, witch. You will get your just reward. Still under the control of his eyes, Aerolis couldn't do nothing but stand there, horror filling her body from panic. She couldn't control her body. She couldn't fight for her life.

He took one step at a time, closing the space between them languorously, and all she could think about was the baby. She couldn't protect her baby.

If she had paid special attention to Klaus then, she would have noticed the look on his face change. But her panic didn't allow her to see anything but Klaus coming near and there was nothing she could do about it.

He grabbed her hair, yanking it to the left to expose her throat, and he struck as quick as a snake, his fangs sinking deep into her throat. She struggled against him, the pain intensifying until finally, feeling drained, she stopped struggling, and with her last amount of power, she thrust it straight at his heart. Then everything went blank.

She was shook awake by Miko, his expression worried. He said something, although to Aerolis, she didn't understand any of it. Miko held something up to her lips and she had no choice but to drink what he forced past her lips. After a few moments, he took it away from her lips and she fell into darkness once again.

She awoke in her bed, her comforter tucked neatly around her. Miko sat in a chair next to her side. He looked up and smiled in relief.

"I thought I was too late." Exhaustion covered his face.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes. I am alright now that I know you'll live." He twined one of her platinum curls around his finger. Against his tanned arm, the white bandage on his arm stood out, and all the memories came rushing into her.

Sam.

Klaus.

Miko.

Werewolf.

Blood.

Vampire.

Baby.

Aerolis held her hand to her stomach, only to find the once large mass was gone. She gasped and sat up suddenly. "The baby!"

Miko took her by both arms and forced her to lay back down. "She's alright. She's just resting. I had to call a doctor right away. I'm surprised you don't remember the contractions, you screamed so loud. It was as if this baby was climbing out on her own."

Relief so strong it was painful sung through her. "I…I was so afraid for a moment…" She looked at her husband who smiled lovingly down at her.

"What happened to Klaus?"

"I…finished him off. If I didn't, the sun did. I went back the next day to find two piles of ash. Sam's and Klaus'. They won't come back."

Aerolis relaxed and smiled. "Good. Our child is safe."

"Yes, she is." he smiled.

She looked up at him. "Can I see her?" She asked him.

He walked over to the crib in the corner, and pulled out a bundle of pink, no noise came from within. Aerolis watched Miko look fondly down at the blanket, his arms gentle as he held her, and love washed through her again.

He passed the bundle to her, and she felt so much love, her heart ached with it. She was beautiful. Her angelic face was peaceful in sleep. "My beautiful Erowina." She whispered.

Miko laid next to Aerolis on the bed and took her in his arms. He kissed her on the cheek and said, "She's as beautiful as her mother."

"She's got you nose and mouth." She said, kissing each of the features on her husband.

"And she has you eyes, and your smile." And he in return, kissed both eyes and her lips.

"Oh, I am jealous, you got to see her first smile." She smiled. "How was it?"

"Like she was an angel sent down to earth."

They both looked at their child, asleep and calm. After a long, peaceful silence, Miko spoke.

"Aerolis." He said. Aerolis knew he was worried about something by how tense his body had become.

"Are you…afraid of me?" He hesitantly asked.

"No." Aerolis said right away.

"You're not?" He asked, sounding a little surprised.

"No. When I became pregnant, the baby kept me up longer than I usually did, and I realized how you would disappear for long periods of time at night. I was worried you were having an affair. When that vile creature told me what you were and you didn't deny it…" Aerolis trailed off, looking at her child. "I was relieved."

Miko's body relaxed all the way, and he held his wife close, kissing her neck, her cheek, her forehead. "I love you Aerolis Maena Duveaux-Santaro."

Aerolis smiled. "And I love you Mikaelo Joseph Santaro."

The smell of smoke awoke Aerolis.

"Miko, where are you?" She called, putting her robe on.

"Parlor with Erowina." She heard his voice drift upstairs to their room.

"Is there something on the stove burning?"

"No, honey, why?"

"I smell smoke."

Things after that were a blur. Meredith was dragged through hazy visions of yellow and orange flames and heat. Excruciating heat.

Aerolis tried making it to the stairs, but the roof caved in over them, making it impossible to use them.

She went back to her room. The only option was to go through the window.

The problem was that she was on the second story of the cottage, too dangerous to jump. She looked out the window to see Miko safe with Erowina in his arms. Good.

She looked around the room, thinking fast. The sheets.

She quickly stripped the bed and tied them together. The roaring flames were deafening and creeping closer with every second. She tied the rope of sheets to the end of the bed and let the end of the sheet out the window and used it to climb out the window.

Bu as soon as she was safe on the other side of the burning house, she felt the sheets loosen under her hands and before her bedroom disappeared, she thought she saw a dark shape next to the corner of the bed, but then she was falling, and her body made jarring impact with the floor.

Surprisingly, she felt no pain, although she felt her body twisted at odd angles. That she didn't feel any pain wasn't good she soon realized. And as her world began to soon disappear, she heard Miko calling her name. Too bad she couldn't say she loved him one more time…

"Hello? Hello? You're awake, right?" A voice reached through haziness. Heaven? The voice sure sounded like a heavenly voice, although it was younger than she expected.

"Miss! Please! Your baby, she's crying, and I don't know how to quiet her, can you please wake up?"

Definitely not heaven. Aerolis slowly crept back to consciousness, Erowina's cries becoming louder.

"Thank god!" The male voice said. "Here." He said.

Aerolis opened her eyes to see a young man holding out Erowina's crying bundle to her. His onyx black eyes looked frantic and his just as dark hair stuck to his sweating forehead. "I really don't know what to do, I've tried doing everything I could think of. I changed her, I played with her, tried making her go to sleep, but she just kept crying!"

Aerolis took Erowina from the young man. "Have you tried feeding her?"

He froze. "Ah…no."

Aerolis smiled. The boy was cute.

A groan sounded from the other side of the room. Aerolis realized they were in an elegantly decorated room. Dark silk sheets were fitted to the bed she was on, an equally dark comforter was tucked in around her.

The groan, she realized, came from her husband who was laid out on a dark-red futon. "Miko! Are you alright?"

Miko grunted in reply.

Aerolis looked at the young man. "Your room, I presume?"

"Yes."

"I thank you, young man."

"How did I get here?" Miko sat up, rubbing his chocolate-colored mussed hair. Then he froze. His eyes popped open. "Aerolis!" He was by her side in a wink. "Are you alright?"

Aerolis smiled in reassurance. "Yes, never been better."

Miko's brow furrowed. "We have no wounds." He realized. "How is that possible?" He wondered aloud.

"You're vampires now." The male voice was flat.

"What?" Miko turned to him.

"Vampires. And whosever's blood you drank must have been powerful and lived a long time, because your wounds were already healing just hours after I dragged you here." The young man's eyes were as hard as stone it looked like.

Aerolis gasped, one specific memory stuck out among the rest. The one where Miko forced her to drink something.

"You had me drink…"She gasped again. "Miko!"

His eyebrow furrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't make you drink something…wasn't it you who made me drink something on the battlefield?"

Aerolis became confused. "No, I was too weak to do anything. The only thing I remember after that vile creature was you making me drink something. And then I awoke in my bed."

"No, I finished off Sam and dealt a killing blow to the other one before falling unconscious by you. I only remember gulping down something that was forced into my throat. When I woke up, I carried you home."

"Well, it seems you both were tricked." The boy butted in. "Please miss, could you…feed the baby something, her throat is going to be raw in a second."

"Ah, yes. Do you have any milk?" She asked.

The boy disappeared and was back in less than five minutes with a glass of milk. "I'm sorry, I do not have a bottle."

"A clean old glove that you do not use, perhaps?"

The boy rummaged through an armoire and came back with a black glove. Soon, Aerolis had Erowina happily drinking from a hole she made in one of the fingers of the glove. "I guess this is the best for now." Aerolis said.

"Thank you sir, for rescuing me, my daughter, and my husband." Aerolis said, looking back up at the boy who sat down, his posture finally relaxing.

"Of course." He said.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is your name?" Miko asked.

The boy smiled. "Oh, please forgive me. I am Damon." His eyes sparkled. "Damon Salvatore. A pleasure to meet you."

**Well? What do you think is going to happen? Heehee…Review or else! **_**Yes, It's a threat! **_**Mwa Hahahaha! *She laughs in an evil voice***

**Oh! And please, take the poll on my page please!**

**~Kyeire~**


	15. Chapter 15:Tricked

**Haha, hi guys. Are you mad at me? I'm sorry I didn't post soon enough, I have my internet cut off for a while, so at least, with no distractions, I am able to write. I will post when I can, but right now, I am lucky enough to have the few precious moments to post this!**

**Poll! You know what that means.**

**A fact about the author:**

**One thing I realized while I was writing once, is that I keep a straight face unless I'm trying to figure out how to write something. If it's an expression, or an action, I tend to do that action while trying to figure out how to put it into words. :D Haha, right? Okay, no more laughing. I thought it would be cool to share a lil about me every once in a while. **

**Chapter 15**

The current Aerolis sighed. _They say vampires don't age, but looking back at this version of Damon, and the current one, you could see that he looks older now. Hardship lines. Muscular face…he seemed so innocent back then, now, he's-_

Suddenly, Aerolis' presence disappeared…or that's what it felt like. She felt alone, no memories flashing through, no voices speaking…nothing but darkness.

Meredith found she couldn't remember a thing. Why she was worrying about trying to wake up. She couldn't even remember why she had fell into this kind of conscious-yet unconscious- oblivion. She couldn't remember what happened before then either. Soon, she just rested in the bliss of nothingness, floating on nothing.

She didn't know how long, but soon…rather groggily, she became aware of…being in her own body.

"I felt her!" A low, male voice said sounding somewhat surprised. The voice seemed to be one very familiar to Meredith, although she couldn't get her head clear enough to place a name with the voice.

"I've been trying to tell you, you have a special connection to her." The female voice was one very soft…and a little pleading.

Meredith's head was gradually clearing, and she heard soft footsteps…as if someone were taking their time.

The footsteps stopped, then some rustling. "What makes you think," the male spoke low, even softly, but Meredith could hear the menace clearly. "I am going to listen to you?"

The woman sounded afraid. "Because I'm telling the truth."

"How do I know that? Especially coming from someone who tried to burn me alive!" The man sounded angry.

"I thought you killed my daughter!" The lady cried. "I thought you killed my Erowina." Sobs followed the outburst, but the name….why did it sound so important? Why did she care so much about that….

Meredith opened her eyes with a gasp. Everything came rushing back with sudden clarity as Damon appeared by her side.

"Meredith? What happened?" Damon said, taking her shoulders in both of his hands. It was the closest to concern she'd ever seen in him. "Are you okay? What did she do to you?"

Meredith's eyebrows drew together. "She didn't hurt me Damon. She…showed me."

"Huh? Did she mess with your head? Can you remember who I am?" He said, waving his hand in front of her face as if he was checking her sight. Meredith pushed his hand away, swinging her legs off the side of her couch and sat up. Damon looked up at her with dark eyes. Meredith barely realized that what Aerolis said earlier was true. His eyes looked harder, his face seemed mush more like a man who's been through a lot instead of the gangly youth in Aerolis' memories.

"I said she showed me. The past…although it seemed to be cut off…" Meredith barely realized that her coffee table was knocked down, but what she was more concerned about was a little past that, Aerolis sat against the wall, her curtain of platinum hair completely hiding her face. Her porcelain hands were buried in her hair. She looked…forlorn, defeated.

"Damon," Meredith said slowly, her eyes still on the small, fragile-looking body. "what did you do to her?"

"I warned her." His voice was hard. "She's deceiving you, Meredith, don't you see that?"

"I didn't see anything but hardships and pain in her memories! How can you say she's deceiving _me_?"

"I've known her for far longer than you've known her. Do you think a few measly memories really help you understand her more? She's evil, Meredith. Evil."

"Why? Tell me one good reason! All I hear is that she is evil, but why? She gave me a reason to believe her, can you really support why she's evil, when she's shown me enough to prove she's a victim?"

"She tried to kill me!" Damon said, straining every word in the sentence.

"I told you, I thought you killed my Erowina!" Aerolis didn't look so elegant now. Her face was tear streaked, her eyes red, her hair in disarray. She looked really messed up. "Do you blame me or trying to take out the murderer?"

"One problem. The murderer wasn't me!"

"But I thought it was!"

"Why would I-"

"STOP IT!" Meredith's voice cut both vampires off in their argument. "Calm down, both of you! Please!"

Damon clenched his fist, but kept him mouth shut as he got up, walking to a window, and staring out of it. Aerolis took in a shaky breath.

Meredith walked into the kitchen and came out a few seconds later, carrying a pint of ice cream in her hand. She handed it to Aerolis. The previous tub she had had melted. She picked it up and threw it away.

"Now. You say Erowina was killed? I hadn't seen anything past you meeting Damon. Please fill me in on the rest."

Damon turned and looked at Meredith. "You wanna know what happened?" He stalked back to the sofa she was sitting on, looming over her. "I left after I showed them the ropes. I had my own business to take care of, but when I returned, it was years later. Erowina had grown up. She had just turned sixteen. I admit, she was pretty, even beautiful. I respected her though." Damon was speaking in short sentences, each one abrupt. "I asked her parents if I could court her, as was the custom back then. I got the okay, but one night, I took her home. Her parents had already gone out for the night to feed, so she was left by herself. She told me it was fine. She told me she was used to it…" Damon's voice didn't waver, it didn't crack, it stayed strong…despite the tears that fell down his face. "I should have stayed. I should have insisted I stayed with her until her parents came home, but I didn't. I didn't, and I regret that.

"She was killed that same night."

Meredith gasped, although her personality didn't let her show how much that shocked her on her face.

"How?" She asked.

"She was burned alive." was his hard answer.

Aerolis' sob interrupted Meredith. "I should've been there. I should have gone home instead of staying away like Miko convinced me to do." Her voice, as soft as it was, was filled with much pain.

"And they thought it was me who killed her." Damon said. "I didn't even know about her death until Aerolis and Miko started hunting me down to kill me. Aerolis almost killed me, binding me with her power, so close to dawn. But I got out, able to make eye contact enough to make her release me." Damon looked drained. Softly, so low that Meredith almost couldn't hear him, he added. "That's why I don't trust anyone. It's better to be alone than to put up with questionable trust."

"Well, it's obvious." Meredith said.

"What?" Damon's head came up. "What do you mean?"

Meredith pursed her lips. "Sit down first." When he did, she said, "You said so yourself, Damon. A long time ago when you first met Aerolis. You guys were both tricked. I bet nine out of ten, it was set up to look like Damon did it." she turned to Aerolis. "Did you hear anything from Klaus after your encounter with him?" She asked.

"Klaus?" Damon questioned.

Aerolis looked up. "I thought Miko had killed him." She said, looking very confused.

"As I thought. A very good chance that this was his doing." Meredith said.

Damon glanced at Aerolis. "You met with Klaus?"

Aerolis nodded. "We never spoke his name after the incident. It brought too much pain. You knew him too?"

"Yes, he was the one who…corrupted…someone I cared about."

"And it's a very likely chance he's the same someone who forced you to drink vampire blood, making you think it was Miko, also burning down your house, causing your deaths that, with the combination of those two things, made you turn into vampires."

"Really? How do you know?" Aerolis questioned.

"Didn't he say he would make you pay? Klaus is not the type to just kill and be over with it. He would want to play with his victim a little." Meredith contemplated. "He would've wanted you to think he was dead as false security."

"So…he's still alive?"

"No, he's very much dead…as of last year, but I think there is one last conclusion that has not been brought up." Meredith said, he face very serious.

"It wasn't Damon who killed your daughter. Of course, it's not too drastic to draw the conclusion."

"What is it?" Aerolis asked, her face worried. Damon was just brooding, probably already arriving at the same end as Meredith.

"It was Klaus that killed Erowina." He said.

**Do you guys like it? I think it was time to pull away from Aerolis' head…I hope you guys forgive me for taking so long with that part, but now…back to the present! :D**

**Take Care,**

**~Kyeire~**


	16. Chapter 16:Again

**Oh, who wants to hear Bonnie! Oh oh! I do! I do! Lol. Okay, So this is Bonnie! I missed her so much, just like I was starting to miss the present Damon.**

**There is an Italian sentence Miko says that is basically translated right after. **

**And just for the record, Erowina was not a vampire. I forgot to mention that. She was burned alive almost like her parents were...**

**Chapter 16**

"He killed my daughter."

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed, her face showed that she didn't believe the story Miko had just told her. He was lounging against the wall close to the door. He had retreated there when Bonnie screamed in surprise when she woke up with him looming over her. Miko looked at her with his dark eyes, the brown shining with the hard truth as he stared directly at her. Bonnie's red curls shook when Bonnie shook her head. "No, Da-He wouldn't do that. I know he may seem like a cold murderer, but, no, he wouldn't! I know him, he…"

Miko stood so still that Bonnie almost believed him a statue. "_Per quanto tempo pensi che si sapeva di lui?" _He asked slowly. "For how long do you think you knew him? For a one or two years? Many people can still hide secrets after that many years."

His voice sounded so cold, Bonnie actually shivered. He was resolute in his information. He believed this cold piece of news, and there was nothing Bonnie could do to change his mind about it, even though, deep down inside her, something was telling her that what he said wasn't true.

_Cara? _Damon? No, couldn't be...She was just probably hearing things. But when it continued…_Can you hear me? Bonnie? Bonnie? Bon-_

_Damon? _Her eyebrows dipped deeper in confusion. _Is it really you?_

_Yeah baby! _Bonnie could almost hear him say that out loud, could imagine seeing him punch the air in joy. _Hold tight, robin, I'm going to rescue you._

By this time, Miko stood straight, and Bonnie realized she had become quiet.

_Hold on, there's something I've got to do, and I don't think it's a good idea that you're around when I do this. _Despite Doman's protests, she cut off the link, putting a wall up to block Damon out. He didn't need to know what was happening.

She looked Miko straight in the eye. For a split second, what seemed like confusion clouded his eyes, but then they were back to the hard as rock clearness.

"Damon will come get me, he'll rescue me, and stop you."

As expected, Miko changed from the cold, unfeeling statue to the raging maniac.

"You witch!" He seethed.

Bonnie smiled, despite how she trembled inside. "Actually, I'm psychic, but lots of people mix up the two. Damon even does." She knew Damon's name struck a chord in him, and that's what she was going for. Like the last time. If she could get him to leave the room again…

But his fist came faster than Bonnie expected, knocking her to the floor. A kick to the side bruised her ribs. She covered her face to protect it from most of it, but soon, it became too much, and Bonnie blacked out, right before, realizing she couldn't keep the wall up between Damon and herself. The last thing she felt before falling into oblivion was Damon's anger. She hadn't expected more than a slap, or even a punch, but she'd taken it too far...

_Sorry Damon…_

_~~.~~.~~.~~_

_She knew she should remember this dream, but her mind was in a groggy state. Her dream self woke up thirsty. The darkness, though, was all around her. Surprisingly, she wasn't afraid. Her hand shot out straight, breaking through a barrier that let moonlight pierce the darkness. _

_She sat up, and a smell she never smelled invaded her senses. Bonnie inhaled. Ahhhh! It smelled delicious. She jumped out of where she had been. It was only a glance, but Bonnie realized she had been laying in what looked like a tomb. Bonnie looked at her fist. Had she really broken through that?_

_The air blew the next moment and carried the savory scent she had smelled before, making her forget the problem. She sniffed the air, following her nose. _

_It brought her to a young man, kneeling down before a grave. His eyes were closed, so he didn't see her. His hair looked like silver in the moonlight and it was being ruffled by the wind. That was the only thing moving to the human eye. He was completely still._

_But to Bonnie, she could see the vein throbbing in his exposed neck, and that was the only movement she paid attention to. Something screamed in Bonnie that something was off, that something was wrong, but her throat constricted, her saliva was thick. She was hungry._

_With no other invitation other than the exposed neck, Bonnie dived in, her instincts drove her to use her teeth without even thinking about it._

_The boy thrashed first in surprise, then panic and fear. Bonnie didn't mind. The panic and surprise made his blood run faster through his veins._

Cara…_Bonnie heard the voice, so sad, and her attention was finally drawn away from her meal. _Cara… _He called again. The voice made Bonnie feel regret. _Why…_ She wished he would say more than that._

_Suddenly, she felt it. Power, coming closer very fast._

_And suddenly, a black crow flew directly at her. It changed in it's decent, that dear face was panicked as well as concerned and worried. "_WAKE UP!"

**Sorry it's so short. I'm trying to figure out this section of the story…very unsure of how to get to where I want to get to…**

**But! For now, I hope you enjoyed this very short chapter! **

**Take care,**

**~Kye~**


	17. Chapter 17:Agony

**Well, I know these chapter seem to get shorter and shorter…I'm sorry! I and trying to make them longer, but these stories have a will of their own. **

**But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well. **

**Chapter 17**

Damon strode to where Aerolis was, picking her up by the front of her dress. "Where is he!" He spoke through clenched teeth.

"Ah!" was all that Aerolis replied. Her eyes were those of a frightened deer in headlights.

Damon shook her, his roar of rage making Aerolis flinch as much as his angry face did. "Where is your husband! I'll kill him!"

"I don't know!" She replied, her voice high in panic.

"You do!" Damon closed the space between Aerolis and himself, their noses almost touching. "you admitted it, you thought I was the one who killed your daughter! You're hiding him from me! I swear, for all the ways he hurt Bonnie, I'll make him pay ten times more!"

Aerolis cried out again. "I don't know! He disappeared the day after he found out where you were! I have no idea where he is! I am telling the truth!"

"The truth, huh. I'll find the truth. One way or another." He dropped her unexpectedly, and turned away from the rumpled pile, opening the window. He almost climbed out, but Meredith's voice stopped him. "Don't be irrational Damon. You don't know where he is, and Bonnie's with him, so you don't know where she is. Calm down."

"You weren't the one who felt her in so much pain that she blacked out! I can't just be sitting around while she is being tortured!" Damon's movements were stiff, jerky and his voice was strained. "I cannot let her be, I told her I was going to rescue her! I told…"

Suddenly, as if her were a puppet who had his strings cut, he collapsed.

Aerolis, who had already recovered enough from Damon's assault to watch as he ranted, gasped when he fell.

Meredith watched in surprise, "Damon? Are you alright?"

She knelt in front of him. And realized that the wetness that covered his face wasn't sweat. It was tears.

"You don't understand. I failed once in protecting something. I can't…bear…she may die because some lunatic wants to get back at me for the last time I failed to protect someone I thought of as close to me."

Meredith looked away. It was one thing to feel satisfied that Damon took responsibility, but this…this went past responsibility and guilt. She looked at Aerolis, who looked hesitant to come any closer, but she looked in pain to see Damon like this.

"Aerolis."

Aerolis looked at Meredith with wide eyes.

"I need your help."

Aerolis nodded but didn't move. Meredith left Damon's side and bent down next to Aerolis, whispering very low, so as not to let Damon know. "I need you to make him sleep." Aerolis looked frightened. "Can you do it from here?"

Aerolis nodded again.

"Okay. I'm going to go start the car." She said.

As she turned to leave the living room, a tingle went up her spine…then Damon's agonized sobs ceased. He was sleeping.

**Did you enjoy? I really really really really hope you did. I tried really hard to make it somewhat more interesting. I am sorry if you think Damon is weak in these last few chapters…I am trying to show how helpless he feels…  
****Take Care,  
****~Kyeire~**

**If you liked it, hated it, hate me, love me, or you're just mutual…please review. If you're asking yourself, "How do I do that?" ****Easy.**

**Press the Button below. :)**


	18. Chapter 18:Different Vibes

**Well, I know it took forever to get around to, but here's Chapter 18! It may seem kinda boring, but you know there's always the boring part, right before the action! **

**Well, This one has Ms. Flowers in it…I know it's kinda weird, but Ms. Flowers reminds me of Kiade off of Inuyasha…you know the old lady…maybe cuz I'm watching too much of Inuyasha lately…**

**Well, here's Chapter 18**

"Ah, yes. This is deep indeed." Ms. Flowers leaned over Damon, doing what she knew best. Meredith looked away. Aerolis watched with worried eyes. "Aerolis, was it?" Ms. Flowers asked her.

"Yes."

"You're a witch, aren't you?"

Aerolis looked surprised. "Yes."

Ms. Flowers dropped Damon's hand and looked at Aerolis, exasperated. "You've been a powerful witch, raised by a witch, I'm assuming?"

"Y-yes."

"What's the first thing that every witch needs to know above all else?"

"To stay composed. That's the first rule my mom drilled into me before I was allowed to use my powers."

"Exactly, so why are you falling apart like this?" This was the angriest Meredith had ever seen Ms. Flowers.

"I'll give you a calming potion later." She turned back to Damon. Then her eyes dilated. She stayed that way for so long that Meredith almost went to see if she was okay. Aerolis stopped her. "It's okay. She's looking into Damon's memory. You did ask for her help with Miko."

Meredith waited in antsy impatience until Ms. Flowers moved once again.

Then she turned to Aerolis in amazement. "That's quite a talent your husband has."

Meredith looked between the two witches. "What?"

Aerolis looked down. "He developed it after he turned into a vampire."

Ms. Flowers cupped her chin. "Hmm. That would make sense, since he was a shape shifter before…"

"What is it?"

"He can change into any shape he desires." Ms Flowers looked deep in thinking. "I have a feeling though…that this wasn't his work…that incident with the illusion…it was his worst nightmare, as if the person doing the illusion was reading his innermost person. But I'm pretty sure that's how Miko had gotten to Bonnie. How many days ago did this happen?"

"About two days ago."

"Ah yes, I could feel the ominous air that night. The premonition was strong. And the dream was even more vivid than others. A wolf and a fox."

"A wolf?"

"A fox?"

Aerolis and Meredith asked at the same time.

"Could they represent Miko and Bonnie?" Meredith asked.

"Of course, who else would it be?" Ms. Flowers snapped. "Briar patch. Full moon. Distant cawing. It fit the situation perfectly.

"The wolf was dressed in bloody black feathers, which I'm assuming was trying to be a hurt raven…or crow."

"So you're saying Miko acted as Damon in pain to kidnap Bonnie?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying."

"So why do you think that what happened to Damon wasn't Miko?"

"Different people throw off different vibes. Even if a person changes, like Miko seems to have, they still throw off the same vibes. The one in Damon's past, and the incident in Bonnie's room are different…yet they do seem just a tad the same…what a puzzle indeed."

"So you think there is someone else involved?" Meredith asked.

"Yes."

"But who?" Aerolis asked, looking very frazzled.

"Someone close to you." Ms. Flowers looked at Aerolis.

Aerolis darted glances back and forth on the floor, showing quite clearly she was searching her mind hard. "But…I don't know anyone who would do that. My family has all died off, their descendents don't even know me. Miko and I haven't really socialized that much to make friends…besides Damon. And we only have one enemy that we know of, and that was Klaus, but he's dead."

"Could it be some creature like a kitsune?" Meredith asked Ms. Flowers and was answered with a shake of the head.

"No. I'm pretty sure it was a bloodsucker."

"Augh. What's wrong with my head. I feel like crap." Damon sat up, holding his head. "And how did I get to the old hag's house?"

"You blacked out." Ms. Flowers blandly told him. "You stopped eating. What did you expect to happen?"

"So why am I over here?" Damon asked.

"So we can figure out what to do next." Meredith crossed her arms.

Damon opened his mouth to smart remark Meredith's answer when suddenly, he heard a scream pierce his mind. "CEMETARY! TOMB!"

It sounded like Bonnie.

**Haha! What's next? Even I don't know, but it seems like Damon, Meredith, and Aerolis are going to a tomb in the graveyard!**

**Review! Review! I want to know what you think of this chappie! **

**And you guys are mean, you who are faithful readers, yet you don't review! How am I supposed to know what you like and don't like?**

**:(**

**Haha! Take Care,**

**~Kyeire~**


	19. Chapter 19:Animal

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.**

**Hey guys! I found out I made a mistake when I was reading Shadow Souls. Did you know that I was saying Ms. Flowers all this time? Yeah, I never figured her to be the type to marry…well. It was Mrs. Flowers instead of Ms. Flowers. Oh well. :P**

**This is...Meredith's POV!**

**Enjoy!**

**MPOV**

Meredith saw that Damon wanted to say something, but suddenly his eyes widened, and his body froze like a statue.

It looked like the wind was knocked out of him. After just a split second, his whole demeanor changed from shocked, to a savage animal. His fists clenched so hard, the color left them. His lip curled up like a growling dog, his vampire teeth elongating not from hunger, but from what Meredith saw as anger. From beneath the furrows of his forehead and his drawn eyebrows, his eyes actually...glowed an onyx black, something she never saw Damon do. From his animal mouth, with a voice sounding more like a lion growl, he spoke one name. "Bonnie."

He moved so fast, Meredith didn't see him move until he was sprawled on the floor, thrown by his own momentum.

"Damn witch, why am I tied up!" he rumbled, his angry eyes turning fully on her. Mrs. Flowers was fazed.

"I had a feeling-"

"Damn you and you feelings! Bonnie's out there in trouble!"

"My inner-"

"Cut the bull with your inner self. I have to leave now!" With that, he took on his crow form, swooping out the window into the night in a matter of seconds.

When the curtains stopped fluttering from Damon's departure, Mrs. Flowers bent down and retrieved the torn pieces of the rope she had used to tie his leg to the bolted-in table. "It was only meant to restrain him for a matter of seconds. Something very dangerous...I feel it."

Aerolis, who had been still and quiet since Mrs. Flowers had talked to her last, raised her frazzled white head and with a calm voice that scared Meredith, she said. "I feel it too." She looked down at her porcelain hands. "It's Miko."

Suddenly, a white flash followed by an explosion, was seen from Mrs. Flowers' window...the one that a certain crow had disappeared through not that long ago.

"Damon!" Meredith yelled.

**Hmmm...this chapter seems to be missing something...what could it be? Hmmmm...Ah, I know! Reviews! Haha. Would very much appreciated from my readers!**

**Haha. Well, It s shorter than usual, but you know how it is...Mwa Ha ha ha! I love a cliffy! :)**

**Kyeire**


	20. Chapter 20:The Driving Need

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha**.

**Sorry for taking so long to update! I've been busy, and having problems with the story. Has anyone had problems with getting exactly what's in their head onto paper?**

**Yeah, not fun...**

**On to Chapter 20!**

Damon stuck low in the skies, dodging the obstacles in his way. The wind brought a foul stench to his nose. From directly where Damon was headed. When the smell threw him off track, he just followed his nose.

He swooped to the floor, changing as he landed, and ran on all four furry paws. Miko knew his raven. He'd be looking towards the sky. He didn't know about the wolf form of Damon, because Damon hadn't known the extent of his powers back the. It was the safest to use.

Just as he set foot in the graveyard, a white light flashed, and a deafening blow deafened him as the blow from the explosion blew him back, landing him on his back, in his human form. "Damn, what was that!"

He stood back up, shielding his sensitive eyes with one arm. He was half blind now, trying to go towards the tomb he had a glimpse from Bonnie. It was the same one Kat trapped him and Stefan in. It was also the on Elena had died in.

Elena. It seemed like ages since the last he even thought of her. The last time had been right before Bonnie had been taken.

Bonnie. How could it seem like he had fallen for her in such a long span, when in reality, he hadn't thought of his love for her until he came back from finding his brother? It had only been about a week.

But all this worry for her was nearly killing him.

And it was also what drove him forward, when in other situations, he would have backed out because of his disability to see.

The edges of his vision was dark, and what he could see was blurry. Damn.

But he had to get to Bonnie.

He tried to turn into his furry form once again, but he couldn't. He didn't question, had no time to. He plunged forward, staying in his human form, noticing he couldn't smell anything either. And he could still hear a ringing in his ears.

He was at a disadvantage, but he was determined. He promised Bonnie. He promised Meredith. Promised himself...

He put one foot in front of the other, his mind only on Bonnie. He would save her even if he died. He couldn't, wouldn't let another girl die because of him. He was tired of losing those he loved the most.

**Well then, I hope you guys liked this short chapter...and I promise more to come soon!**

**Review Please!**

**~Kyeire~**


	21. Chapter 21:One Person For This Job

**Well, I did promise you a chapter updated soon, right? But I'm saddened by the feedback. ='(**

**But I will keep to my promise and supply another chapter.**

**Chapter 21**

Meredith, Aerolis, and Mrs. Flowers, who surprisingly kept up with them made it to the graveyard to see Damon walking forward in the eerily dark cemetary. A cloud hovered over the cemetery like a translucent sheet.

Meredith sighed in relief. Aerolis looked even more worried. "This is not good. It reeks of power." She said, with Meredith looking at her in confusion and Mrs. Flowers in thoughtfulness.

"Hmm." Was all she said.

Meredith looked back and forth between the two, but neither paid attention to her. Aerolis' gasp made Meredith pay attention to the graveyard.

Through the explosion's smoke, Meredith saw a dark-clad figure standing about thirty feet away from Damon, but Damon didn't seem to see it. He kept going forward, his body fully alert.

"Damon! I'm so glad you could make it to my party!" The voice did stop him. Then Damon's face changed into one of rage.

"Where is she?" He growled behind grinding teeth.

Miko smiled smugly and crossed his arms. His black coattails flew behind him, and to Meredith, it looked as though he was one of those evil villains always seen in movies. "Don't worry, she's resting." The way he said it brought chills to Meredith's body.

The fog around them was thinning, and it seemed as though Damon's eyes were bad, but from where the three females stood, they gasped in horror.

Where the wisps of fog were clearing away, in between the two males, Bonnie was slumped against the tombstone, chained to keep her in place.

"A few feet away." Mrs. Flowers said, her eyes still glued to the scene in front of her. "You don't want to scare him."

"Got it." Aerolis said. She muttered something under breath, her arms moving in an arc. Suddenly, she disappeared. Meredith gasped.

"Look." Mrs. Flowers indicated to the battle field, and Meredith turned to find Aerolis standing equally apart from Miko as Damon.

"How did she-"

"Quiet." Mrs. Flowers cut her off. "Watch."

"But shouldn't we be helping them? Bonnie's-" Meredith exclaimed.

"We were not meant to fight this battle." Mrs. Flowers said simply.

"So you're going to just watch! Bonnie's also my fri-"

"Do you trust Damon?"

Meredith hesitated, understanding exactly where this was going. "Fine. But as soon as he's down, I'm going in."

"That would be foolish and unnecessary." Mrs. Flowers looked at Meredith, her old, wise eyes serious. "This will determine Damon's true self. That person he's been hiding for centuries. It's crucial that he does this."

Meredith looked back at the fight as the wind came from the west, blowing her brown long hair behind her. Her eyes were glued to the scene in front of her, worried and concerned for those friends trapped in battle in front of her. "Damon, I'm counting on you. Rescue Bonnie." She whispered. "Only you can."

**Oh my! Oh dear! It sounds like action will be next! Finally, I promise the climax is reaching its peak! :D**

**So I know you guys hate me for all this boring stuff. It sucks when you read this, waiting in anticipation for what happens to Bonnie. **

**If I haven't said it, I thank ALL those who've submitted their awesome reviews, and there is also 16 special people I cannot close up without giving a great big cyber hug to! I thank you 16 for doing my poll, the answer will arrive shortly!**

**Until the next chapter,**

**~Kyeire~**


	22. Chapter 22:Action!

**WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha**. I'm Serious.

**How's that for a quick update. To tell the truth, I had this done yesterday. Just got to putting it up today. :) **

**Now fo****r the action!**

**Chapter 22**

"Damn that explosion!" Damon hissed, keeping whole body alert for any sign of movement around him. The wind and the fog didn't help at all, with the wind making it's own shadows and shapes from the fog.

He pushed through the shadows, turning to wisps, moving forward to the tomb.

"Damon! I'm so glad you could make it to my party!" That voice! That annoying, infuriating voice! Damon looked harder, but found no need to. It wasn't hard to find the dark silhouette of Miko against the thinning gray mist.

Even the outline of his body made him angry.

"Where is she! " He growled loud enough to reach the guy's ear, his voice hoarse from the fury building up in him.

"Don't worry." A break in the thinning mist opened and Damon had a glanced at the man's tanned face, strong jaw, and dark murky brown evil eyes. "She resting." He said with a smirk on his face.

Damon realized his vision was clearing. It was to the point where he could see clearly, but the black was still circling his vision, and even that ring of darkness was thinning.

He clenched his fist. "You had better not have done anything to her." He yelled.

Miko pushed back his coat, resting his hands on his hips. "Tsk tsk tsk. Ah, Damon. If you had any downfall, it would be the desertion of a leveled head when you needed one." An evil smile crept onto Miko's face. "But just to reassure you, she's still...in one piece." Hi cruel chuckle rung out into the air. "but have a look for yourself. She's right in front of you."

The thinning mist was clear enough that he could see the shapes of everything around him. Including the body slumped against the shadow of a tombstone in between Miko and himself.

His whole body vibrated in anger when he saw her bound by chains to the marker of a dead man, and on top of that, unconscious. Both hands clenched so hard, his fingernails sliced into his palms. "Mikaelo Santaro." He said between his gritting teeth. "You're a dead man!"

He made an attempt to move. "Ah ah ah! You may not want to do that. You see," He walked casually towards Damon, putting him closer to Bonnie. "She's connected to that tombstone by that chain, but one pull from this," he fingered the end of the chain hanging down in front of him. "And she hangs." Damon realized the chain was connected to the tree above Bonnie, looped around a sturdy branch, and the end was in Miko's hand.

"Not if get to her in time, she won't."

"Miko!" The female voice came from directly behind Miko. His eyes grew wide.

"Lissa? How did you find me?" He asked in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter how I found you, you need to stop this!" She cried desperately.

"So you side with the murderer of your one and only daughter?" He said. An uneasy feeling came over both Aerolis and Damon as they looked at the over bright gleam in Miko's eyes.

"Please." Was all that Aerolis said. Miko looked into his wife's eyes. Clearly, by the look in his own eyes, Miko was fighting with himself.

He growled. "Fine. But an eye for an eye. "

He pulled out a knife from out of his jacket and strode towards Bonnie.

Damon caught on after a second and charged towards Bonnie, ready to defend her. "NO!"

"Miko!" Aerolis rushed after Miko.

Damon reached out for Bonnie, taking one of her arms, at the same time Miko had taken hold of the other raising his knife to stab her in the heart.

Suddenly, they were blinded by a bright purple light. Aerolis, her finger tips barely grazing her husband's back shielded her eyes from the light.

_**=O :0 =O :0 =O **_

Meredith gasped. A domelike lavender light enveloped all four of the people she was watching. "No!" She moved to rush over to them when Mrs. Flowers stopped her again.

"Not yet." Was all she said.

Meredith waited in anxious anticipation.

The light slowly faded.

Leaving four bodies laying on the earthen floor.

Meredith inhaled, her heart beating rapidly against her ribs, horror bubbled in her gut. "Wha-What happened? How did they all die?"

"They did not die, they're simply comatose." She shuffled towards the group.

Meredith composed herself and followed. "Are you sure they're alright?"

"Yes. It seems this battle is to be a mental one." Mrs. Flowers knelt down next to each of the bodies. "They should be alright for the time being. I'll go run and get a few things from the boardinghouse."

"Eh? Meredith? Mrs. Flowers? What's going on?"

**So? Haha. The queen of cliffys has left her mark! **

**Hmmm...what's gonna happen next? **

**What did Mrs. Flowers mean by "mental fight"? **

**Who just cam einto the scene?**

**And Will Damon prevail in rescuing Bonnie safely?**

**You'll find it all out in due time if you stay tuned!**

**~Kyeire~**


	23. Chapter 23:Night of Surprises

**Guess what I got for ya? That's right! Another chapter! I put a lot of time into this and the next chapter...man, It's kinda scary that this story is almost over...**

**Chapter 23**

Miko looked around desperately, trying to spot Damon before he could find him. The thing was, this place looked nothing like the graveyard he had challenged Damon in. Bright colors swirled in every direction. Orange, yellow, pink and many other colors churned and roiled against a lavender background, and it made Miko feel as though he was stuck in a large kaleidoscope, twirling until it made him dizzy with the way they darted back and forth, bending and going every which way.

Until what he felt made him forget the colors. Distracted by his surrounding, he hadn't looked for Damon, and now, he could feel him right behind him.

He hissed and turned, ready to fight.

Except...

Damon himself wasn't there. Instead, an orb of different colors than the warm, jubilant ones hovered in front of him. This one was gray, blue, black; and instead of swirling happily around in darting to and fro motions, this one was more hovering and gloomy. If anything, Miko would have likened it unto an ominous fog.

But yet, this orb gave off the presence of Damon.

"Miko!" Aerolis voice, as before, surprised him.

"Aerolis! What are you...Where are you at?" He turned around, but couldn't see Aerolis anywhere.

"Miko, these are our souls. I see yours, and Damon's right behind you."

"But where are we is the question." Damon's voice resonated loud and clear. The place seemed to swirl even more, the colors becoming a beautiful pink and bright purple.

"This all happened when you guys both took hold of Bonnie, right?" Aerolis asked.

"Yeah...wait, what are you trying to say? Bonnie did this?" Damon questioned.

"If I'm not mistaken, we're somehow...inside Bonnie's soul."

Miko was confused. "Wait...how is that possible?"

His enemy answered. "That would make sense. Every witch is different, and every witch usually has one power that is most prominent above any other they use. Bonnie was unconscious at the time someone meant harm. It always seems when she's unconscious, she's safe only because her body knows when she's in danger, and protects her."

Miko laughed. "I have no idea what that means, but I didn't come to chit chat when the murderer of my daughter is the one who wants to chit chat with me!"

He charged straight at Damon, but instead of making impact as he expected, he flew right threw. And coming out on the other side, he felt sadness, remorse, hurt.

For what? He shook them off and faced his opponent again.

Aerolis whizzed through, between Damon and Miko. "Stop!"

"Lissa!" He cried out. "Why? He killed our daughter! He killed Erowina!"

"No! I didn't! I told you that I was fond of your daughter!" Damon yelled.

"You monster, how can I believe your words? You were the only one we knew!"

"Klaus!" Aerolis yelled.

Miko became confused again. "What?"

"Remember that vampire that attacked us when I was pregnant?"

"I killed him."

"No, you didn't. He made it look like we killed him."

"No. That's not possible."

"But it is! I'm sure of it!" Her orb was turning pure white.

"No...I killed-"

_Miko. _Miko looked around frantically for the voice he'd just heard. He knew who it was. It was Bonnie.

**O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O**

"Eh? Meredith? Ms. Flowers? What's going on?" Meredith looked up, and to her surprise, Matt looked down at everyone on the floor.

"Matt? Where's Elena and Stefan?" She asked, looking around, but all she saw was Matt.

"Hm? Oh, they're coming...they were just behind me..." Matt looked lost. We were all together...just a sec ago..."

"Well it's good you guys are here. I need to go pick up a few things from the boardinghouse. Please help Meredith with watching these bodies until they come around." Mrs. Flowers gave a nod before leaving.

"So, how's everything going?" Matt asked.

"Oh terrific, I'm just sitting between four unconscious bodies. We've been having a jam!" Sarcasm dripped off each and every word that came out of her mouth."

Matt's face reddened. "Ah...I didn't mean it that way..."

Meredith shook her head. "Just come help me move these bodies closer together. They look like cold corpses just laying all sprawled and spread apart.

"Matt? Where are you? I told you to-"

And sure enough, out of the forest's trees, Elena's blonde head finally appeared. One look at Meredith and the scene, her, voice deserted her and horror took over her face.

Behind her, Stefan's face appeared, his neutral face hardening.

"Sorry for hold you guys up, I didn't mean to..." Another face popped up from behind the couple, her dark long hair barely visible with the ink dark forest. Another new person to add to the fresh arrivals.

Meredith smiled. Tonight was a night of surprises. "I guess there's some explaining I have to do. "

**So what do you think? You like? Please review? Or I'll be evil and not update until next month! Mwa ha ha ha! :)**

**Well, see ya,**

**~Kye~**


	24. Chapter 24:Faults

**WARNING! IF YOU ABSOLUTELY, MOST POSITIVELY, DEEP DOWN IN YOUR HEART HATE CLIFFY'S, YOU MAY AS WELL LEAVE NOW. *insert Cheshire smile* ****jeje. **

**Okay, so I won't be evil, and I'll post another chapter. :) Believe it or not, I'm expecting for this story to be done in a little bit...maybe five or six more chapters...But I'm excited to be able to be finished with a story soon. **

**Well, so far, for those who are confused just a little, Miko has come to take revenge on Damon for the death of his daughter decades ago. When he goes to lay a harmful hand on an unconscious Bonnie, Damon reaches out to save her. At the same time, Aerolis reaches out to stop Miko. All three are drawn into Bonnie's soul by Bonnie's psychic witch's power, which is protecting her. Within Bonnie, Miko, Damon and Aerolis are having a fight without being able to physically hurt each other. Meanwhile Meredith is watching over their bodies when the unexpected other half of the group pop up: Matt, Elena, and Stefan. Except along with them is a mysterious girl. **

**What's happening with the bodiless fight? What's Going on with Meredith? And who is this mysterious girl? Only one way to find out...**

**Chapter 24**

_Miko. Look. _He looked towards the others to see that they were looking around for Bonnie to appear. But she didn't. _The form you guys are in are your pure soul. All of each of your emotions are showing now...anything you tell right now tells you the real truth. If you lie, they will know. If they lie... But you yourself, to you , your own soul looks pure, and only others can see it._

Her voice was fading. "No." Damon suddenly said. "No no no NO! Bonnie! COME BACK!" He yelled. His whole orb had turned orange, like an orange rose would turn.

Miko chuckled. "You love the girl."

Damon laughed sarcastically. "And it's all thanks to you." His soul had changed to a deep dark blue.

"I guess this is your karma, eh?" Miko felt pretty smug about how this was turning out.

"I'll have a lot more coming around me. Just give me five second to tear up your-"

Aerolis intercepted. "Now now boys. You guys used to be good-"

"Used to be." Miko wished facial expressions could be seen so that he could properly glare at Damon. "That was before he killed my daughter."

"Miko, he didn't-"

"No, Aerolis. It's alright. He's right."

Aerolis gasped. Miko laughed, saying, "I knew it!"

"Yes, I remember that night pretty good." He started. Miko knew he had been right all this time. It was daddy's instinct.

Miko looked towards his wife's orb, saw it was a grayish-blue. His heart lurched, but he couldn't say anything. Damon was talking. "I took her, and watched over her...I took her to see an opera." Damon paused and chuckled. "Remember when those used to be so popular? She enjoyed herself, seeing that it was her first time being anywhere out. You guys sheltered her beautifully, but she wanted out." Damon sighed. "I took her home to find she was going to be alone at home until you guys came back. She thought it was just to visit another's home. She didn't know you guys were out _feeding_. I admit. I was angry."

Miko smiled to himself. This is where he would say he violently killed his daughter, then he had a right to beat the life out of him. He would make it painful, drawing out the torture-

"I had to leave her because she willed it so." Miko's smile disappeared. "You daughter was one beauty, and as much as I hated leaving her, she insisted that I do so. If I had known she would have been in trouble..." Damon's sentence trailed off.

Miko shook. This wasn't what he wanted to hear. "No...no, you said you killed her! You said-"

"I did kill her, but only because I left her. I could have protected her, and yet, I left her alone to fend for herself. She was just human, and against a vampire who was that strong when I fought him...it was my fault. I killed her because I left her and didn't protect her like I swore I would..."

"Lies." Miko's disbelieving whisper seemed to echo all around them.

"No!" Aerolis' cry sounded as if she was in pain. "What has he done to us before that night? He was nothing but good to us. He rescued all of us from the fire. He showed us how to live with this curse. He cared for us like family! Right Damon?" Her voice wavered, as if she were on the brink of breaking apart again.

Silence.

"I won't fight anymore." He said quietly, defeated. "I deserve this. All these years, I blamed myself anyway. Day in and day out, ther death has been a burden on my heart."

Miko almost spoke up, but something happened. Bright, pure white orbs seemed to appear from nowhere, touching Damon. Each time they did, they whizzed away the color of Damon's own globe.

"_Thank you Damon_." Miko's heart lurched. That voice was his baby's the way he heard it what seemed like centuries ago.

"Ina..." He whispered.

"_No problem_." Damon sounded happy. "_Anytime you want to go out, just call me, I bet I can persuade your parents to let me take you."_

Aerolis gasped. "Miko! Look up!"

Miko's eyes wandered up. Like a drive-in movie theatre, a scene was playing above their heads. And the title of the movie? Damon's life.

* * *

"Whoa. We were only gone for two months!" Elena sat gingerly on one of the cemetery's stone benches, her legs too shaky to support her. Stefan stood behind her, placing his strong large hand on her shoulder. "What if I had came a just a few weeks earlier. We could have protected her." She covered her face with both of her hands.

The new girl stood a few feet away, standing against a tree, her eyebrows lowered, her expression clearly told the others she was thinking deeply. Meredith turned to her friends, and asked the question bluntly. "Who is she?"

Stefan answered. "She claims she knows Damon."

**Oh dear...so maybe I was evil...yet another cliffy...MWA HA HA HA! **

**But! Makes you curious, don't it? Who is this girl? And Will Miko finally believe Damon? How will he react when he cannot take his revenge like he so badly wanted to? Oh dear! The suspense is killing me! **

**Off to write the next chapter!**

** SO REVIEW! :| OR NOTHING NEW! :|**

**Hehe**

**~Kye~**


	25. Chapter 25:Finding the Truth

**Hey guys! So I think I got everything that I had before...although it seems more shorter...I suck, and I'm sorry, my readers. This Author has saving issues. Well, I think it's kind of good, but you know what they say, the reader determines that. I hope you guys enjoy! **

**Chapter 25**

If Miko was in his own body, he was sure he would have fell to his knees. "That can't be. No, that isn't true. It couldn't be-" He stared at where the last scene had flashed above, disbelief drooling form his voice.

"It is. You just saw it with your own eyes." Damon replied.

"No, It can't be! My..."

Miko continued to deny, but Damon was focused on certain words that Bonnie had said a long time ago. The words rang through him like church bells.

_Find your truest self. The one which you always hide, but is the real you. _

Damon sighed. "To tell the truth..." Both Aerolis and Miko stayed silent, listening to Damon's words. "after I found out Erowina died, I nearly lost-" Damon chuckled to himself. "Ah, who am I kidding, I lost all hope that I would be able to settle down with someone special. I started believing love would never visit me. I never thought, after Erowina, that I would find someone. Id' tried it twice, and both times my loved one would die." Damon's orb was nearly soot black. "That was, until I saw Katherine's incarnate. You remember Katherine, right?"

"Yes, I believe that was the one you killed your brother over, and he, you?" Miko answered, his voice still telling the other two he was still shaken.

"Yeah, that's her. Well her incarnate was the first to spark my feelings again. But not quite." Damon paused, gathering his thoughts together before he continued. "The first time I laid eyes on Bonnie, something altered within me.

"Of course, she was kind of like Erowina, and even Katherine back when I was young. All in their characters. Naïve, innocent, and most of all, sweet. Of course at t first, Bonnie had become a substitute for Ina." The air around them grew thick tensely. "Until I realized how different they were. It is true that Bonnie was naïve like Erowina, but she differed in the fact that she was strong. Both on the inside and the out. She's endured a lot, and never have I seen her give up. She kept going. Even when it seemed as though her friends deserted her."

Damon floated a little higher, his orb grew a little lighter. "What I'm trying to say is that...the very well feels like love. Like I never felt it before."

He glided towards Miko, wishing like hell that he could be in his body so he could sling his arm around the guy. He knew he sure needed it, as well as his morose buddy. Miko had turned a lowly blue, gray, black, green; ugly colors swirling together. It didn't look pretty. "Miko. I never would have thought we would have been separated like we were, but please. Believe me. I, who felt as though you were both a father and a son to me."

The atmosphere changed. Comfort and satisfaction was in the air, and the colors changed to a beautiful, soft orange. The color of love.

A laugh that made you picture a happy and proud smile rang through each of them. Bonnie.

_To find your truest self, to find the way, you must find the truth first. For release, the truth must emerge._

Bonnie's soft voice echoed through the place, her voice filled with pride and happiness.

_Miko, there is more that is still coming your way. Be careful, and do not worry. You will get the closure you need._

Damon was confused, but before he could ask questions, all around him grew brighter. Brighter and brighter until he couldn't see his friend's colorful orbs, until all he saw was bright pure white. At it's peak, an even brighter flash filled his eyes.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

"She claims she knows Damon." Stefan said.

Meredith studied the girl. Something was...not right. Something was off about this girl. "How?"

The girl smiled so bright it was like a beacon in this dark night. "Mutual acquaintances." She simply answered.

Meredith narrowed her eyes. Her voice was off, as if something wasn't supposed to...supposed to...Meredith couldn't put her finger on it.

"What's your name?" She said, her voice completely serious, her face, as always, was likewise.

The girl settled for a mysterious smile. Meredith had the feeling that the threat coming from her was worst than the threat Miko brought with him. "Just call me Ina."

"Ina..." The name rang a bell...alarms went off in Meredith's head, but she still couldn't find out why. "Ina...Ina...!" She stood so fast the blood rushed to her head, causing her to see stars for a minute. "You!"

"What is it?" Matt asked.

"Meredith?" Elena looked up from where she'd dropped down on the bench.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked tersely.

Meredith just pointed an accusing finger at the girl. "You! You're Erowina Santaro!"

**Well? Do you guys like? Please please PLEASE tell me! Review. I'll die if you don't! then I won't be able to update if I die!**

**~Kyeire~**


	26. Chapter 26:Ina?

**Guys! Sorry for the long time no update. But! I promise you! This story's almost done! SO I have the next four chapters already done! Done because it's the action! So, yesss. Chapter 26 through 29 is done! **

**But! I will update on a weekly basis...just to draw out the fun. *Cheshire Grin***

**Well, it's so fun writing, and this is one story I immensely had fun creating. When I finish this, it will feel so...interesting. This will be my first completed story(so to say...very sad) but yes! Accomplishment is my middle name! **

**And now, enjoy!**

**Chapter 26**

Ina leaned against a tree. "Che. I was hoping my cover wouldn't be blown so soon."

Meredith looked at Ina, with more than a little unease, and a lot of confusion. "But...You died..."

Ina smiled. It was the smile, Meredith thought. The smile made her uncomfortable. Like she was a bit...crazy. "In a way...I did."

"Ina? You do know that your death is the reason Damon and your parents are fighting, right?" Meredith asked, even though she dreaded the answer.

Ina shrugged. "Maybe I did."

"And you don't care!" Meredith glared at here, her anger rising.

"Uhh...Meredith...did you...is this the girl you told us was burned?"

"Yeah. She's the reason Bonnie was kidnapped in the first place. Or maybe I should say her supposed 'death' caused Bonnie to be kidnapped." Meredith hissed.

"What's going on?" The withered voice came from the entrance of the cemetery, and a small, huddled figure appeared.

Mrs. Flowers studied the group, her eyes found Ina, and stayed stuck on her, but unlike Meredith, She wasn't surprised. "Well if it isn't Erowina. I should have suspected."

Meredith, surprised, looked at the woman. "You knew she was still alive?"

Mrs. Flowers closed her eyes. "Why are you so surprised Meredith? This is the same thing that happened when Katherine came. You yourself knew that Klaus was their enemy. He merely used the same strategy that he used with himself. And nine out of ten, hew probably learned that from Katherine, who tricked the Salvatore brothers. You remember well enough, right Stefan?"

Stefan gave a serious nod.

"So..." She looked directly at Ina. "It should come to no surprise that this girl, who no one witnessed her death like both Klaus and Katherine, would still be alive and breathing."

Ina glared, Meredith stared, Stefan looked as though he were contemplating something, but Elena and Matt were lost.

"I don't-"

A groan interrupted their conversation, coming from the oblivious group who were laid side by side. Miko, Aerolis and Damon stirred simultaneously.

Damon was the first to sit up. Rubbing his face, he emitted a groan before opening his eyes. He blinked a few times, as if to try to clear his eyes.

But when he laid eyes on Erowina, his eyes bugged out, not blinking at all. "I-I-Ina?"

Ina rushed forward and hugged Damon close. "Oh Damon! It was horrible! I was afraid I would die when he came! And I was only thinking of you Damon!" She said all this in a sickly sweet voice that put Meredith's teeth on edge. This...evil, vile girl. She wanted so bad to go over there and strangle the girl.

She felt a hand squeeze her arm, realizing that Mrs. Flowers had stopped her from taking an involuntary step towards the girl.

"Hey, who are you calling Damon! I'm over here." Miko sat up, intending to glare at Ina, but instead, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Ina?" Miko asked. Ina looked at Miko, then at Damon, clearly confused.

"Hmmm." Mrs. Flowers hummed, as though she were thinking.

Miko, then looked past her and spoke the person there. "And who's the person trying to pose as me?"

Damon looked down at his hands, at his clothes, horrified. "B-b-but you have my body!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Miko.

******I have to say, I would have dropped this story in a second if I hadn't hte support of my readers. Each and every one of your reviews put a smile on my face. Thank you all. You guys are awesome!**

**~Kyeire~**


	27. Chapter 27:Hearbreak

**So...I couldn't wait. I only have one chapter left to write, but I just need to post the rest**. ** with a goal of posting the last chapter before December 21st, it would be better to just add a chapter every two days. **

**So for have fun reading the next chapter!  
**

**Chapter 27**

Ina stood and backed away from them, her face a complete blank mask.

Mrs. Flowers laughed. "Now girl, you've came to try to deceive, but your plans have failed." She shuffled over to Ina. "Shall I tell you what happened?"

Ina looked down her with brown-speckled murky green eyes, but kept her mouth closed.

Mrs. Flowers smiled. "Of course, I shall. Damon, please come here." All eyes were riveted to Damon's face, but he didn't move. Instead, Miko stood, and walked over to Mrs. Flowers.

Ina looked at him. "Papa-"

He scowled and snapped, "I'm not your father. I don't even look like him!"

Even in this tension-filled moment, it made everyone laugh.

"What?" Miko sounded grumpy.

"Actually," Mrs. Flowers spoke, "you are the mirror image of him right now. Mikaelo, please, come over here."

Damon, stood and did as asked.

Mrs. Flowers turned fully on him. "This has been done for your sake. Bonnie is a smart witch, but even this was past her doing. That was her whole ancestry working through her at that moment. You heard the whole truth from Erowina when you woke up. This was not Damon, but Klaus who took your daughter."

The eyes that belonged to Damon did not have any of the intensity that the real Damon had, and his face…crumpled.

He didn't cry, but this face was clearly one of defeat.

"Yes. I understand."

"Ina?" The weak inquiring voice came from behind Damon and Miko. "Is that my baby?" Aerolis slowly rose, taking hesitant steps forward.

Ina looked like she didn't know what to do for a few seconds, before that blank mask returned. "Yes it is." She answered.

Aerolis, hearing these words, ran at full speed at the girl, sweeping her up in her arm in a powerful embrace. Tears came down her face.

All around, everyone stood tensely still, knowing that this girl was about to immensely break her mother's heart.

**Short, but guess what? Action's gonna be coming next chapter!Be ready!**

**And of course _REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW_!**

**~Kyeire~**


	28. Chapter 28:Fight!

**And...ACTION! Yes, this is the big fight now! The climax! **

**Chapter 28**

**Damon**

Watching Aerolis from his point of view, she looked broken, but never had he seen her so happy. How evil was this girl? He didn't know this girl any longer. The Ina he knew years ago had been pure, sweet and innocent. The girl now was still innocent, but she was filled with evil. She didn't know even herself. As though she had locked herself up inside, and this…this was just her shell.

Aerolis had calmed down, but now, she was holding Ina's face in both her hands, repeatedly kissing her cheeks, happy tears running down her face. Ina looked at Damon…his body which her father now inhabited.

For some reason, he was starting to get an odd feeling, and odd…sense of power from this girl. It didn't feel one ounce good.

Damon was about to step forward to maybe protect, when the searing pain hit him. _DAMON! _Bonnie's voice streaked through his brain, the pain intensified, making him double over.

But even through all the pain, he felt her terrified feelings. She was in pain, that's where he got it, but more importantly, she was in trouble.

"Bonnie…" He whispered, turning and staggering to where he knew she was. Her body was quiet and still, but her soul was trapped inside, in excruciating pain. Miko followed him, wondering what was happening, when all of a sudden, a hysterical shriek stopped everyone's movement.

"Pay attention to only me!" from Ina's gloved hand, a small stake flew through the air. It was heading towards Miko, who was frozen in surprise. Damon acted quick, using Miko's body to protect Miko. The vervain caught him in the side as he jumped in front of Miko.

Bonnie's pain was still with him, and the blossoming pain at his side grew also, but he forced the body to move when he saw Ina bulleting forward.

Wrapping his shirt around the piece of vervain, he heaved the piece of wood out of his body. He threw it towards Meredith, who was a human able to hold it without hurting her.

Damon made it just in time to catch Ina around the waist and throw her away from Bonnie and Miko.

Stefan stepped forward ready to help. "No! You guys don't move a muscle! This is my mess, and my fight. I'll fight it alone if I have to."

Stefan grimly nodded.

Aerolis was frozen next to Mrs. Flowers. To the old witch he said, "Get her out of here."

To Miko, frozen in Damon's body, making him look the worst he ever would, he yelled, "Save Bonnie!"

He felt her soul trying to hold on, but she was gradually slipping away.

"How?" Miko asked stupidly.

Damon caught Ina around her waist as she tried getting past him again. She clawed and hissed, trying to get out of his arms and to Damon's body.

"Ina. I'm Damon. Just in your father's body. You know that." He whispered in her ear.

"I know that." She shrieked.

"So come after me." He moved away from where Bonnie was, taking Ina with him.

Ina's body constricted in confusion.

"Ina, aren't you mad that I have another girl on my mind? Come, get me." He said, releasing her body. He glanced to make sure Aerolis was gone. Not only was she gone, but Elena and Matt had disappeared. Mrs. Flowers probably asked for their assistance. Hey, less was better.

Ina turned on him. Her eyes were wild, her beautiful dark hair was now everywhere, and her gloved hand held yet another piece of vervain. Greeaaaat.

_Damon! I'm scared! _Bonnie's voice beckoned to him.

He turned to see Miko near Bonnie, but too afraid to touch the girl. "My God! Give her my blood! She needs my blood.

Miko looked up, meeting eyes with Damon.

"Yes! My-"

_Damon!_ Her voice had become smaller. Damn. Giving her blood wasn't enough.

Ina launched herself at him. This time he had to dodge the piece of vervain while trying to restrict her. Clearly Klaus had been busy teaching her how to fight also. She was as slippery as a snake.

She struck and Damon finally found his opening. He dodged, at the same time he was able to knock the piece of vervain out her hand.

She lost her balance, falling to the ground.

"Miko! Take her blood too! You need to trade blood!" He yelled.

That was all he could say before Ina was up and attacking him again.

From there, he heard Bonnie's cries, but could do nothing, too caught up in his fight. Too afraid to let his eyes stray from Ina too long. He couldn't afford to die right now. Bonnie needed him.

They were wrestling now, on the cemetery floor. Ina, out of hand weapons, used the last weapon she had, her teeth. She tried striking for his neck, but missed. He was up and making her chase him again. Every time she lunged, he dodged in the nick of time.

_Damon! _Distracted for a split second, all he could do against Ina's teeth was fend off with his arm. He teeth sank painfully into his arm. He howled in pain. But suddenly, he didn't feel pain, but emptiness.

Knocking Ina down, he gave himself a few seconds to look to where Bonnie was. Miko was forcing his blood-Damon's blood-down her throat, but her throat wasn't constricting, as a drinking person's does.

_Bonnie...Bonnie don't you leave me! BONNIE! _But no matter how much he yelled, there was no answer from that place inside where his connection with Bonnie was.

"BOOOONNNIIIEEE!"

**Hmmmm...who wins? **

**And...what exactly happened? **

**And if I don't get any reviews from you, I'm going to be sad. I worked so hard to get this to you guys! **

**Anyways, I'll pduate soon!**

**~Kyeire~**


	29. Chapter 29:Beast

**So you guys don't seem to like the past chapters I put up, considering the number of reviews I received. Oh dang, and I worked hard on getting it to you...:'(**

**So here's another chapter.**

**Chapter 29**

"NOOOO!" He howled. The pain disappeared from his side, his arm, all the pain concentrated right in the middle of his being.

Ina, not understanding what happened, and delirious in her mind was up again, charging at Damon.

Trying to escape from the pain, ignorant of the tears that fell from his savage face, he charged, not as Damon, nor Miko, nor any logical being.

He was a beast.

He threw Ina clear across the cemetery, following right on her tracks. Ina had no time to attack, clearly on the defense as she was being thrown around like a ragdoll.

Finally, after a while, he tossed her back to where she had been before. Her body was muddied, and of course it looked as though it'd broken it in many places. Damon jumped on top of Ina, his savage mind knowing no morals or limits, tore through Ina's neck. He drank, despite the cries from the sidelines.

Until one smart Miko spoke up.

"Damon! It's Bonnie!"

Just her name spoken brought the light of reasoning back on in Damon's eyes. He froze for a few second before he jumped away from Ina, disgusted with what he'd just done. He struggled to stand, drunk on blood before he stood and staggered toward Bonnie. She was in the same pajamas he'd seen her in that night. The night that seemed so long ago when he'd almost kissed her. He wished he'd have done it now, because he had no chance now.

Too afraid to touch her because he was so dirty, he walked away, turning his back on all of it.

That was a bad choice.

"Damon! Look out!"

"I won't give you to anyone." The voice was distorted, but clearly, it was Ina. In her hand, she held the vervain he'd knocked out of her hand a while ago raised over her head. As she brought it down, she yelled a war cry.

Damon closed his eyes, waiting for impact after the cry ended.

The impact never came.

Cracking open an eyes, he saw the vervain inches from his heart. She was frozen, eyes wide in surprise.

Then she fell on him. Behind her, Meredith stood, surprise and horror on her face.

Embedded Ina's back, was the vervain he threw to her.

"I-I killed her." She said on a gasp.

Relief poured through his body. "You saved me." He said seconds before he collapsed onto Meredith.

**Yeah yeah, all that good stuff. Please review.**

**~Kyeire~**


	30. Chapter 30:Ceremony

**Chapter 30**

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

Damon stood, one gray dreary morning, not really hearing the priests words. The grief and sorrow sat on his heart like a thousand ton boulder. Impossible to move. His pain was too intense for tears. Elena, her sobs were muffled by Stefan's shoulder. Bonnie's sister, Mary was holding her mother, with tears falling from her own eyes as her mother's cries were the loudest and most heart-wrenching. Even Meredith's face was wet, Alaric holding her in his arms.

Damon stood away from them at the back of the chapel, watching all of this without an emotion on his face. He knew showing even one bit of emotion, he would go crazy. It happened before, when he'd woke up in his own body, in Mrs. Flower's boardinghouse. The emptiness he felt upon awakening had driven him crazy, and he lashed out, threw things, hunted.

But nothing he did eased it. There was nothing that could replace it.

Bonnie was dead.

The priest's words died off, and one by one, each paid their respects and left.

Stefan led Elena out the chapel, stopping by Damon as he did, saying no words, just gripped Damon's shoulder in comfort before passing.

One by one each person disappeared from Bonnie's coffin. Finally, just the priest stood nearby, but one look at Damon, and he left, deciding to give him some alone time with Bonnie. Only then did Damon move.

Slowly, reluctantly, he took hesitant steps towards her. When he did stand by her coffin, one glance at her and he had to look away. It looked as though she were only sleeping. The pain doubled. He squeezed his eyes closed.

Forcing his eyes back, he traced her face with his eyes. Finally, from his hand, he placed a single black rose underneath her hands where they lay folded gently against her chest.

_I'm sorry Bonnie. I couldn't save you. I promised I'd protect you, but once again, I failed my own words._

The priest entered again with four guys. "I'm sorry young man, but it's time to carry her to the cemetery for her burial."

"No!" He automatically said. "I don't want her buried!"

The priest stepped back in both surprise from Damon's outburst, as well fear from the savageness on Damon's face. "But, the family has decided."

"No, the tomb. I want her in the tomb." He said, his voice as completely direct as his eyes.

"But the family has no money for-"

"I'll pay for it. I don't want her under the ground."

"Yes sir." The priest motioned for the men to take her away, and Damon watched, forcefully holding himself back from wanting to keep her body away from everyone else.

In the end, he didn't watch with the rest as Bonnie was transferred to the tomb. Instead, he sat in a tree nearby as a crow. He still couldn't believe it had been just last night when Bonnie had died, and just this morning he'd woken with the emptiness. It seemed like days.

He didn't move even after the ceremony was over. Didn't move for hours. He kept his beady eyes on her tomb.

Partly because the pain kept him still as a statue, the other reason was the feeling that he still needed to watch her.

Stefan looked up at the huge crow, silent and still in the tree not too far from the left behind them. He knew his brother would stay there. Elena followed his gaze. "Do you think he'll be okay?" She said, although her own face was wet with her own grief. He smiled sadly, wiping her face.

"I can't say."

He stole one more look at his brother before they left.

**Whaddya think? Please Review.**

**~Kyeire~**


	31. Chapter 31:Anniversary

**First of all, this is probably going to be something you weren't expecting...I know because it's not what I was expecting. And I'm warning you now, this is probably going to drag on for three or four more chapters(lol. It keeps going...hahha. Sorry.) But I know where I want to take it now.**

**So on to the story...**

**Ten Years Later….**

"The usual?" The bartender, asked as Damon took his usual seat at the bar.

"Not today. I think I'll need something stronger."

The clean white towel drying cups stilled as the bartender looked up at Damon. "Today a special day or something?"

Damon gave a curt nod. "Yeah. Something like that."

"Oh. Let me guess," The bartender smiled as he started preparing Damon's drink. "Your girlfriend dumped you?"

Damon didn't say anything.

The bartender laughed. "Of course, that's something for any regular guy to get a little bummed on, but for you, I expected different."

Damon scowled. "It's not like…that…"

"Eh? Really? It seems like-"

"It's not, okay!" Damon suddenly yelled, knocking his chair down with how sudden he stood up. The stares from the customers made him realize what he'd done. "Ah…sorry." He righted the chair and sat back down. "C-could I just have that drink?"

The bartender, kind of thrown off by Damon's reaction, slid the drink to him without a word before scurrying to the other side of the bar.

A familiar laugh, yet one he hadn't heard in a while filled the air. He turned to see the owner sit down next to him. "I didn't know my brother could be so touchy and sentimental."

Damon scowled and looked away. "Damn. I stopped chasing your life to make it miserable, but now you intend to do the same?"

Stefan chuckled. "Of course not. Would goody-goody two shoes Stefan do that?"

"Now you're mocking me." Damon downed his drink in one go and signaled for the bartender to send him another. The guy hesitantly did so, backing away as soon as possible.

Stefan signaled for the same as Damon, replying. "Of course not. I really didn't come to torture you."

Damon repeated his drinking process before looking Stefan right in the eye, if not a little wavering. "Like you didn't know what today is." He signaled for another. He got another.

Stefan took a swig of his drink, but spewed it everywhere a second later. "God! Damon, what are you drinking."

"My savior." Damon once again finished his drink and once again signaled for another.

"Stop it Damon." Stefan said, serious in a second as he batted Damon's hand off and waved the bartender away. "This won't chase away the past."

"Like hell it won't. Bartender! Where's my drink!" The slur was evident in his speech as he clumsily pushed his brother away.

"Drinking this stuff isn't going to erase your memories."

"Shut up!" He signaled the bartender. "Stupid guy…forgetting my drink…" he mumbled.

"It's only going to give you an immense hangover in the morning." Stefan pushed his hand down, holding it in place.

"I don't care." He struggled to get his hand back, knocking his chair down in the process. He clumsily threw his other hand up, with Stefan trying to stop him.

"It won't bring her back!" Stefan said, knowing it would catch Damon's attention. No sooner had it left his mouth, Damon stilled. "It won't bring Bonnie back." He breathed out, a little winded from his struggle with his brother.

Damon exploded. "I know that! Don't you think I feel guilt? So this is the reason you came!" Stefan tried interrupting, but in his drunken rage, he didn't listen. "Just to rub in her death anniversary! Go to hell!"

With that exclamation, he stumbled out of the building, not giving a backward look at his brother.

**So now you can criticize me for the suckiness. Please. Go ahead and do it. Just press the button and vent out your anger! I even give you permission to cuss at me. You can say, "F&%*ing Kyeire, What the h*&% are you taking this stupid A&^ Story! **

**Hey, I gave you permission. ;D**

**~Kyeire~**


	32. Chapter 32:Two Brothers

**So...Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter! You guys are awesome. I'm surprised I DIDN'T get cussed. I mean. This author killed Bonnie! **

**I'm so happy to Danielle Salvatore, epona's chosen and even Lula, those who have been reviewing frquently lately. Makes me happy to see everyone else too who've reviewed. And to those who's reviewed for the first time! I thank you from the bottom of my heart!**

**So, okay, this isn't the end, but I felt such gratitude that I had to say that stuff right now! **

**And now, you may read on. :D**

**Chapter 32**

Stefan watched as his brother opened the door, not the least quiet about it. One look at his guest and Damon scowled.

"Hangover yet?" Stefan asked, a little to poke fun at his brother, but more concerned than that.

Damon looked as though his feathers had been ruffled. "How the hell do you think I feel?" he growled out.

Stefan smiled. Just this showed him that even over, that his brother was still the same. It never always ceased to shock him no matter how. Many times ten years passed and his brother popped up once again.

But then Stefan looked closer. There was something different this time around. It had to have been Bonnie's death.

He'd tried looking for his brother after her funeral, but sometime after she'd been ceremoniously moved to the tomb, and before night, Damon had disappeared. Stefan knew because went to look for him as soon as night fell. Too bad he hadn't waited.

"Here." Stefan picked up a glass that had been waiting on the table for Damon.

"What is it?" He asked, eyeing the cup suspiciously all the while.

Stefan laughed. He didn't blame his brother. The contents of the cup looked like puke. "It's something that B-ah…Elena made. It works pretty good."

Damon looked even more suspicious. "Elena?"

Stefan averted his eyes. "Yeah."

"You mean the one who doesn't know the difference between a spatula and a ladle?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah…" He knew he was caught. "I-it was made by someone's grandmother." He reluctantly said.

Recognition lit Damon's face the same time guilt stained Stefan's.

But, Stefan told himself, at least his brother was drinking the concoction.

Then he laughed when his brother ran for the bathroom, worried when he heard the barfing noises, and finally relieved when looking less miserable, but with a disgusted look.

Damon headed for the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. Stefan followed. "I'm going to kill you." Damon threw over his shoulder.

Stefan smiled. "At least you're feeling better."

Finally, with glass in hand, Damon turned to his brother. "So what do I owe the pleasure of seeing my brother's face?" He asked sarcastically taking a drink.

"Well don't act too happy about it." He said, resting his arms on the kitchen's steel counters. "I just wanted to drag you to Mine and Elena's tenth anniversary."

_That _had Damon's water spewing out of his mouth. "You guys got m-married!"

Stefan laughed loud and hard. "Well don't act too surprised about it."

"When?" Damon asked, his eyes still wide in surprise.

"Ah…a few months after _her _death." Stefan said.

"Oh." His brother said.

Then silence.

"I would have invited you, but you disappeared."

Damon held his cup in both hands and looked at it. He didn't say anything.

"So you better be at the anniversary. Elena won't forgive you if you don't."

Damon smiled. "You won that game." He said, thinking on all the fights he'd had with his brother. How come now was so different? Why was it?

"Why was what so different?" Stefan asked.

Damon realized he'd said his thought out loud. "Why we seem more like brothers than enemies now."

Stefan stood straight and stood against the counter, thinking a little before he replied. "Well, instead of trying to make my life miserable and take everything that's mine, you've decided to live your own. That's what I think."

Damon grunted. "Maybe." Deep down, though, he knew his brother was right.

Silence reigned between the two brothers.

"Anyways. Make sure you're there." Stefan said after a few minutes. "Elena'll chew me off if I don't get back soon. You know how wives can be." With that, he left.

**So I think(REPEAT: THINK) there will be one more chapter after this...I'll have to get back to you after I finish writing the next chapter. **

**But, ya know what I'ma say...Review! If you love, like, dislike, or hate...tell me~! I'm dying to know!**


	33. Chapter 33:Tenth Anniversary

**Hi guys! So...guess what this is? The last chapter is right! So I made it extra long! :D But I will have a epilogue after this, okay? That will complete the story. I thank everyone who's review so far. It has been a pleasure to read every SINGLE one!**

**So I hope you guys enjoy the last formal chapter!**

**Chapter 33**

Damon sat at one of the lit up tables scattered around the backyard of a house. He'd come for his brother's anniversary, but he'd felt emptier than usual as soon as he entered the familiar territory called Fell's Church. Why did every single little thing have to remind him of her. If he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he would always find a way to remind himself of how much he missed her.

Every time he saw a robin, it reminded him of her. Every time he had _Cara_ on the tip of his tongue, it made him want to change the word. He couldn't say red hair reminded him of her, because he couldn't find someone with the same vibrant, fiery hair as hers. He wish he could bury his hands in her curls once more…

He laughed. How many times had he said that to himself over the years? He'd lost count.

Damon tried shaking off the thoughts by looking around. There were a lot of new faces mixed in with the old. Among the women, they all shot him glances, and he knew the ones to stay away from. For once in his life, he wished he was old. Ten years of avoiding women did make a young handsome guy want peace…

"Damon!" Someone grabbed him around his neck and pulled his head underneath their arm, ruffling his dark hair. "It's been ages man!" he said, letting Damon go.

Damon stumbled away from the guy, and his eyes almost popped out. "Mutt?" The guy was still human. Damon could tell because he'd matured. His jaw had squared out, his torso had slimmed, his waist, tapered. He looked every bit the man two years away from thirty. But that smile, those light eyes, and that mop of honey hair were still the same.

Matt laughed. "It feels so weird!" He poked at Damon's cheek. "You don't even look one bit different. Now it looks like I'm older than you."

Damon swatted at Matt's hand. "Back up Mutt. I'm very much older than you."

"Yeah yeah." Matt waved it off with a hand.

Matt talked nonstop to Damon for another five minutes before he was called away by what looked like his wife, who shyly asked Matt to, "Come here."

Damon sighed in relief as Matt left. Who could believe the guy was ten times more talkative than the last time he'd seen him?

"_Ladies and gentlemen. This is your mayor speaking. Can we please have the 10 year Anniversary couple to come up to the dance floor at this time."_ There was a lot of cheering before Damon spotted the two emerge from the sea of clapping hands. His breath almost left him as Elena and Stefan, looking still like newlyweds, and glowing with happiness walked together hand in hand. They still looked like they had ten years ago, but even more, they were a beautiful couple.

Damon laughed. Beautiful? What was wrong with him? He went inside the house, looking for the restroom when he'd bumped into someone unexpected.

"Damon?" But Damon was too busy trying to get his heartbeat to slow down again.

"Why the hell are you using that mask? It looks like a freaking baboon." He said, suddenly irritated that he'd been scared.

Alaric laughed. Damon could tell right away who he was, but he could still see that this guy had grown older too. "Sorry. This was for scaring the kids with." Three little kids, who couldn't be under ten years old suddenly glomped to his legs.

"Ah…"

"Hey mister, are you our uncle's brother?" The oldest one asked, her hair, too curly to stay in pigtails created a head of curls.

"Yeah, cuz you look like him." The second smiled up at him with her front tooth missing.

"Uncle!" with his puffy cheeks, smallest one looked almost exactly like Alaric, but with a cap of mahogany hair.

Damon didn't know what to do with them, which would explain the upraised arms, and the awkward movements from being so tense, and yet trying to stay up on his feet.

"Alaric, these yours?"

Alaric smiled. "Yes. The mess of curls there is nine-year-old Lonnie. The seven-year-old with the tooth missing is Ariel. And Mr. handsome is Alaric Jr. who's three."

"Mister, Come play with us!"

"Actually, could you watch them for a minute. I need to use the restroom." Damon wanted to protest. "I've been holding it for a while now." Alaric sent a look of gratitude behind him as he rushed away from Damon, who was being dragged down by the little kids.

"Come play with us!"

"Yah! Come play with us!"

"Play!" Alaric Jr. squealed.

"Ah…okay."

He sat awkwardly in front of the little kids and their corner of toys. Lonnie, the older one gave out the roles along with the toys that would be playing it. "Ariel, you'll be queen. And Ricky will be the dog. And you will be Prince. And I'll be Princess."

Lonnie and Ariel were fixing their doll's hair and clothes. Ricky took the dog and started playing on his own. "woof woof" he said, hopping the toy dog from one place to another.

Damon looked at the doll she'd handed him. It had peach skin, light brown hair that was brushed back, and it wore a dark blue T-shirt and black pants. "Doesn't look like a prince."

Lonnie glared at him. "Yes he does! He looks like you."

"Like me?" Damon said, suddenly surprised. "He does not!" He exclaimed, giving the doll a cursory look.

"Yes he does." Lonnie said firmly.

"No he doesn't. Look. His eyes are green. Mine are black." Damon pointed out.

Lonnie crossed her arms. "So? You can't tell from far away."

"But he has brown hair." Damon argued.

"So. He still looks like you."

"And that's enough Lonnie." Alaric's voice cut into the argument.

"But daddy, the doll does look like Uncle here." She said.

"Of course pumpkin." He turned to Damon. "Thanks."

"You owe me." Damon stood, straightening his leather jacket.

Alaric smiled. "But it look like you were having fun."

"Having fun? That girl keeps saying this doll looks like me!" He shoved the toy to Alaric. "He looks nothing like me!" He said.

Alaric studied the doll. "Well…" He said, looking back and forth between the doll and Damon.

Damon looked at Alaric with unbelieving eyes. "Don't tell me you think so too."

Alaric just laughed.

"I'm going back out to the party." He said.

He hurried and exited the house. "Psssh. Who says that doll looks like me? It looks more like Stefan!"

"_What a beautiful dance these two! Beautiful!" _The mayor was saying as the first dance ended. _"Now the best friends come dance with them!" _Damon looked and saw Meredith come on the dance floor. Before he knew it, a hand had grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the dance floor. Stefan.

"Wh-what are you doing?" He asked a little surprised.

"Brothers were meant to be best friends." Was all he said.

Meredith walked up to him. "I guess you're my partner, best friend." Of course, Meredith had gotten older. She had her straight hair swept up into a loose bun. Her face was no longer young adult, but woman. She smiled at him. "Surprised?" She asked.

"Of course not. This happens all the time with me."

"_Alright. The music's playing, let's dance."_

Instead of the slow song as Damon expected, and more upbeat song played. Well, Damon thought, this should be more comfortable. He moved to the beat, taking Meredith, a little unused to the fast rhythm to follow his steps.

By the time the song finished, Damon had a smile on his face, as a laughing, tired Meredith excused herself to sit down and recuperate.

"_And now…the opening of presents!" _The mayor said, but was suddenly whispered into his ear. _"Let's change the schedule. Stefan has a few words!"_

Clapping, and then Stefan took the microphone. _"First of all, thank you guys for all coming out for mine and Elena's anniversary."_

Lots of "no problem's" and "we wanted to's" rang out.

To that, Stefan replied. "But with the way you're drinking, are you sure you don't want to go to a bar?"

Laughter rang out. "But it's free here!" Someone yelled out.

Stefan laughed. "True. I hope you guys enjoy the free liquor." He waited for the noise to quiet down before continuing. "Many of the people who've moved here in the past ten years don't know this person, but he's also my brother. I'm so glad that he could make it today, considering he couldn't make it to my wedding. If this handsome hunk could join me up here?"

Damon didn't really want to, and even tried to sneak away. Too bad Matt was right behind him, stopping him like a brick wall. "Got 'em!" He yelled loud and clear.

Damon glared at Matt. Matt laughed. "Come on, it's your brother's anniversary. Spoil him a little." Matt whispered, pushing Damon towards the stage.

Damon reluctantly walked to the stage and stood by his brother. Not only that, freakin' spotlights had to shine in his face.

Stefan threw one arm around Damon's shoulders. "The one who knows me best, but maybe doesn't know it, Damon!" He punched the air with the microphone hand, and cheers erupted.

Stefan smiled, Damon tried to look emotionless.

When the cheering died down, Stefan continued. "There was another reason I wanted this anniversary. Sure, it was an excuse, but I have to give my brother something."

Damon looked at his brother. "I don't need anything from you." He said, and tried to leave the stage.

"I think you could be wrong, Damon." Stefan said, then signaled the DJ to play a song. The music started. It was a song called _Hold You In My Arms, _by Ray LaMontagne.

The spotlights moved from the stage to the back of the crowd. And there, showered in the silver light, an angel stood underneath.

Damon gasped. "No, it can't be her."

Stefan smiled. "Damon. I want to give you happiness." He said. "Go, see for yourself."

Damon was frozen. He couldn't move. It seemed even his heart had stilled. Everything seemed like a dream to him right now.

The figure was in a white dress, sparkles adorning the collar of it, and down the middle a little, in a Y-shape. Her red curly hair caught the light, giving her a haloed appearance.

"_Damon." _She mouthed it from her small pink lips, but that's all Damon needed to unfreeze him, to make his heart start beating crazily, and had him running off the stage. The crowd parted, making a path to the angel under the spotlight.

He didn't stop to stare at her face, didn't hesitate a second, but grabbed her small body to his as close as he could. _She was real._

"Bonnie!" He whispered, his heart reacting so much to her name it hurt immensely. "Bonnie. Bonnie…" He said it over and over. He couldn't help it.

Finally, he let go of her long enough to look at her face. She looked back up at him with the same face he remembered ten years ago. The one that stayed with him for ten years.

He chuckled. "That Miko was good for something, I guess."

Bonnie raised her hand, and wiped his face. "Stop crying Damon. That's not like you."

"You're alive! Nothing else matters." He said, taking her small face in both of his large hands. "Nothing else matters except you." He said, as yet another tear of joy escaped down his face.

And slowly, feeling as though he were still dreaming, he lowered his head. Bonnie tilted hers up…and their lips met sweetly. Like a dream.

"If this is a dream, I don't ever want to wake up." He said, after he broke the kiss.

Bonnie smiled. "It's not. I'm right here Damon. Right here."

Damon hugged her close again.

If she was right here now, He would never let go of her again. She would never leave his side, even if she begged.

*Note: Just ignore one fact…that the town didn't notice their unage-iness. I understand they should have moved, but I wanted the 10 year anniversary to be at Fell's Church.

**So? Feedback please.**

**But if you want to see Bonnie's dress, it is on my profile page. ;) **

**I hope I didn't write too much. Then I thought about cutting it in half...but I couldn't find where to break it off. So this is longer than most. I hope you like it though. And I'm sorry...Damon may be a little out of character...hehe. **

**The doll...you could say I got the description from here: http: /images2. fanpop. com/images/photos/7700000/Paul-Wesley-Stefan-Salvatore-paul-wesley-7736479-350-500. jpg**

***Erase all the spaces after the semi colon and the periods. :)**

**Haha. Maybe a TVVD Stefan salvatore action figure? haha~! Just a little joke~! I enjoyed Damon's fight with Lonnie. And don't you think Ricky(or Alaric Jr.) is adorable?**

**And it was interesting to explain the three older friends(Meredith, Alaric, and Matt). Oh! Matt's still same old, just older, huh? And He's got a docile wife. :) Way different from his first girlfriend?**

**Well, please please please reiview!**

**~Kyeire~**


	34. Epilogue

**So. Guys. *TEAR* With this epilogue, comes the closing of _Finding The Truth_! Wow! *TEAR* I cannot say how happy I am that so many people enjoyed this story, and I can't say how delighted I am to have so many review it too! I even had someone ask for a sequel! It made me soooo happy to read that! Unfortunately...I don't think this will have a sequel, although others are completely free to write a sequel to it if you want(just make sure to tell me, and mention that it's a sequel to Finding the Truth!) **

**But the purpose for the Epilogue was just to kinda clear things up. Many wanted to know why Ina wanted to kill, and others, how Bonnie died. It may seem unnecessary, but here it is.**

**Epilogue**

Bonnie took a minute to sigh aloud. "Damon…"

"Yes my dear?" Damon said, very much in a happy mood. He threw his arms around Bonnie.

"I understand you've missed me. I've missed you too…but are you really going to follow me into the bathroom?"

Damon backed off immediately. "Oh…ah. Um…g-go ahead." He said, putting his hands into his back pocket, his face flaming.

Meredith, who just _happened_ to pass by with Ricky on her hip, laughed. "Can't blame him Bon. If Alaric suddenly miraculously raised from the dead, I would probably have acted the same way."

Bonnie blushed. "I need to go to the bathroom." She said before disappearing behind the closed door, leaving Damon staring stupidly at the door.

Meredith smiled. "You really don't know what to do with yourself. Could you watch Ricky while I take care of a few things?"

Damon reluctantly left the front of the bathroom to take Ricky.

Ricky clung to Damon's jacket, looking up at him with Big brown eyes. He smiled and said, "Uncle!"

Damon laughed.

It that which Bonnie heard upon exiting the bathroom, but she wasn't prepared for the sight that took her breath away.

Damon's laughing face focused on the toddler he had raised above his head. Something in her responded. What it was, she couldn't say. And had no time to think about it when that dear laughing face turned to her.

She smiled and went to stand next to the person she loved the most.

Stefan came a little later to deliver something to Damon. "This came five years ago for you." He said, handing over an envelope.

The content was a single letter:

_Dear Damon and those with him,_

_ I sincerely apologize for what I've done, and deserve no forgiveness, but that's a little understating. I can no more bring Bonnie back as I can turn the world over, And I hope you can believe that I regret very deeply my actions. _

_ My wife, who is still recovering, sends her thanks to you, Damon, for showing me the truth, even though we tried to kill you and even when I killed your love. Never in my life did I ever think I would have believed different, but not only did you show me different, you also killed the shell of our daughter. Even though it grieves me that my daughter was alive, but filled with vileness, I know my daughter cared for you more than anything. _

_ She was corrupt in her thinking. Please don't blame her death on yourself. It wasn't your fault. That person whom you killed before we came to Fell's Church corrupted our daughter. I have no idea why else my daughter would fake her death, other than she was forced to. Why else would she? When the guy she fell in love was right by her side, spoiling her more than her parents?_

_ No matter how I look at it, you were a honest and loyal friend from the first time you found us even until now. Losing my daughter did make me lose my mind, and thinking you did it made me go crazy, so now knowing the true facts, I can say I'm satisfied, if not filled with regret._

_ If I didn't learn anything else, I did learn one thing._ _Finding the truth is not only about finding answers. It's about changing. _

_Thank you, and please take care. _

_Sincerely,_

_Mikaelo Joseph Santaro_

Damon closed the letter up. "Well, that answered the questions I've been asking. The first being why Ina wanted to kill me so bad."

"Talk about obsession!" Bonnie said.

"By the way," Meredith spoke up. "How did that girl die?" She asked.

Damon looked confused. "Didn't you-"

"Damon!" Stefan interrupted. "Can I talk to you right now?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"_Privately?_"He emphasized.

Damon hesitated a second, looking at Bonnie, clearly showing that he didn't want to leave her.

She nudged him to go with a smile and a push. "It's okay, no one here will hurt me."

Damon followed Stefan to the kitchen.

Stefan cleared his throat. "Listen. Meredith asked Miko to erase her killing Ina."

"What?" Damon asked, clearly surprised.

"Well, killing someone isn't particularly something you want on your conscience. She didn't take it well that she took another life." Stefan explained. "So since it was only you, me, Miko, and Aerolis who knew, and since the two of us are the only two to stay, I said that I was the one to kill her."

Damon looked at his brother in admiration for a few seconds. "Are you sure you're okay with that? Why not pin it on me?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. It's something in the past. Meredith's okay, and that's all that matters. Come, Bonnie's waiting for you. " Stefan walked towards the kitchen exit, looking over his shoulder at Damon. He smiled. "I just want you to be happy." He said, leaving Damon to follow him. Thinking of the changes in his brother, Damon remembered something Miko had written, "_Finding the Truth is not only about finding answers. It's about changing."_ Only then did Damon realize the changes and the to be back beside the one who miraculously came back to him, he hurried out the kitchen.

Upon entering, Meredith asked a question that didn't even cross his mind. "Okay, this has been bugging me guys…How exactly did Bonnie die?"

Damon nearly tripped. "Why hadn't he ever thought of it? It really bugged him.

Bonnie shrugged it off. "Divine intervention?" she said jokingly. No one laughed. She sighed. "I don't really know, but it doesn't matter. I'm alive because Damon's blood saved me." She happened to turn to Damon seconds later. "And I've found what I always wanted."

Damon smiled in pleasure, walking as though he owned the whole world towards her. "Who, me?" he said in a puffed up voice.

Bonnie smiled. "Actually, it was a nephew!" She turned towards chubby toddler Ricky holding onto his mother's hand, picking him up and placing him on her hip.

Damon's confidence went sub-zero. "Wh-what? It's supposed to be me!" He said, so seriously that the others laughed at his worried face.

Bonnie did too, but pitied him, replying, "Of course it's you moron!"

Damon sighed in relief, bringing her to his side with a tug of his arm. "Don't mess with me woman." He said, raising her chin to place a possessive kiss on her lips. "You're mine."

Ricky squealed when he saw Damon, "Uncle!" Damon smiled at him.

Meredith crossed her arms. "I have a feeling you're going to spoil my child, Damon." She said.

Stefan added, "Who would have expected Damon of all people!" Everyone laughed.

Damon glared at his brother. "What's that supposed to mean?"

That only made everyone laugh harder.

Things quieted down after that, which was a surprise to all of them. Miko and Bonnie had both sent off flashes of power in the heat of the battle.

In that time, Damon did one thing that no one would believe in his hundreds of years of living...except the people he did it in front of. He bonded himself to a woman.

"_Do you, Damon Salvatore, take Bonnie McCullough, to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all other and staying only with her until death do you part?"_

_Smiling with eternal love, Damon looked down at his bride, radiant in white, her red hair flying in the wind. _

"_I do."_

**I may have taken it too far with the marriage, but I wanted those two to get married...Stefan and Elena did, so those two had to too! **

**I have to admit, my favorite character in this chapter is the one that appeared the least. Ricky!**

**I want to give a final thanks to everyone who read my story, and followed it to the very end! I loved every review I received, even those dratted too-short, "Update Soon!" 's. But at least those people reviewed. I can't even count the number of hits and visitors I got, and yet, only three people reviewed sometimes. It was depressing! **

**But I enjoyed writing this story, and I hope you enjoyed it as well! **

**~Kyeire~**


	35. FTT's Final Author's Note

_***Kyeire Speaking in a heartfelt voice***_

**Oh my gosh guys. I love you. Each and every one of you who read this and decided to leave me a review. :D**

**Yes, this story is finished, and no, no one has written a sequel (yet, I'm hoping), but I'm still surprised at the amount of visitors and hits I'm still getting to this story! And..**

**AAAANNNNNDDD! I can' believe it! I was just going to read over one of my chapters, and I realized that this story HAS 200 REVIEWS! OMG! So, yes, it may not seem like a big deal, but to me, for this story that took me months to complete and was also my first story written on FF, it is such an awesome feeling to know I've reached that 200 mark. **

**I thank you to those who actually took the time to sit and read through 34 chapters in one sitting. **

**I also thank those who were very patient as I took so long to update **_**so many times!**_

**I enjoy writing so much, and it makes me feel the best when I have such awesome feedback, and people loving my stories. **

**I can't thank you guys enough. I would soooooo list every single person who reviewed, but I'm too scared that I'll leave someone out. **

**But when I speak, this is going to each one of you individually. I want to give each one of you a heartfelt hug and a LOUD "THANK YOU!"**

**THANK YOU FOR READING THIS STORY!**

**~Kyeire~**

**P.S: One review caught my attention because they used my name. I have to say it shocked me when I saw my own name on the review page…I thought I had written something until I read it. :) Thanks inner-self. Seeing that my inner-self thinks so, I feel reassured more than ever.**

**I will continue to write...even if it seems I stopped because I don't post for a couple of months(God Forbid!). **

**I love you all. Thank you for your unwavering support. **


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